Anderson's Salamander vs Common Jelly Spot

Ambystoma andersoni compared with Dacrymyces stillatus

Key Differences

• Anderson's Salamander is Critically Endangered while Common Jelly Spot is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Anderson's Salamander	Common Jelly Spot
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Dacrymycetes (Dacrymycetes)
Order	Caudata (Caudata)	Dacrymycetales (Dacrymycetales)
Family	Ambystomatidae	Dacrymycetaceae
Genus	Ambystoma	Dacrymyces
Species	Ambystoma andersoni	Dacrymyces stillatus

Conservation Status

Anderson's Salamander

CR — Critically Endangered

Common Jelly Spot

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Anderson's Salamander	Common Jelly Spot
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Anderson's Salamander

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Nearctic and Neotropic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Mexico. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Jelly Spot

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Anderson's Salamander

The Anderson's Salamander (Ambystoma andersoni) is a species in the genus Ambystoma. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Nearctic and Neo.

Common Jelly Spot

<em>Dacrymyces stillatus</em>, commonly known as the common jelly spot, is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Dacrymycetaceae. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with records from five European countries and North America. The species typically grows on damp, dead, or decaying wood, particularly coniferous timber, forming small, gelatinous, orange-yellow cushions or pustules on the substrate surface. As a saprotrophic wood-decay fungus, it contributes to nutrient cycling and the decomposition of woody material in temperate forest ecosystems. The bright gelatinous fruiting bodies make it a conspicuous species when encountered on wet wood in cool, humid conditions. Diet information for this species is not available in current records. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.