Bitter Waxcap vs Brook Floater

Hygrocybe mucronella compared with Alasmidonta varicosa

Key Differences

• Bitter Waxcap is Near Threatened while Brook Floater is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bitter Waxcap	Brook Floater
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Unionida (Unionida)
Family	Hygrophoraceae	Unionidae
Genus	Hygrocybe	Alasmidonta
Species	Hygrocybe mucronella	Alasmidonta varicosa

Conservation Status

Bitter Waxcap

NT — Near Threatened

Brook Floater

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bitter Waxcap	Brook Floater
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bitter Waxcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Brook Floater

Habitat

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

Range

Found in United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Bitter Waxcap

The Bitter Waxcap (Hygrocybe mucronella) is a species in the genus Hygrocybe. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Brook Floater

The Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) is a species in the genus Alasmidonta. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.