Black Lichen vs Fly Agaric

Lichina pygmaea compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

Black Lichen is Extinct while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Lichen	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Lichinomycetes (Lichinomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Lichinales (Lichinales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Lichinaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Lichina	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Lichina pygmaea	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Black Lichen and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Fungi)

View Kingdom: Fungi

Conservation Status

Black Lichen

EX — Extinct

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Lichen	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Fly Agaric

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia).

Black Lichen

The Black Lichen (Lichina pygmaea) is a species in the genus Lichina. It is currently classified as Extinct on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Its geographic range spans Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Fly Agaric

Among the most iconic and recognizable fungi on Earth, fly agaric mushrooms display striking red caps with white flecked warts across boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite their fairy-tale appearance, they contain potent psychoactive compounds including muscimol and ibotenic acid and are moderately toxic. They form critical mycorrhizal symbioses with birch, pine, and spruce trees, exchanging mineral nutrients for carbon and playing essential roles in boreal forest nutrient cycling.