Blackfish vs Fly Agaric

Actinopyga miliaris compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

Blackfish is Vulnerable while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackfish	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Echinodermata (Echinoderms)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Holothuroidea (Holothuroidea)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Holothuriida (Holothuriida)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Holothuriidae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Actinopyga	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Actinopyga miliaris	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Blackfish

VU — Vulnerable

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackfish

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).

Blackfish

The Blackfish (Actinopyga miliaris) is a species in the genus Actinopyga. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

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.