Boreal Button Lichen vs Comet Darner

Buellia disciformis compared with Anax longipes

Key Differences

Boreal Button Lichen is Critically Endangered while Comet Darner is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Boreal Button Lichen	Comet Darner
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Caliciales (Caliciales)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Caliciaceae	Aeshnidae
Genus	Buellia	Anax
Species	Buellia disciformis	Anax longipes

Conservation Status

Boreal Button Lichen

CR — Critically Endangered

Comet Darner

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Boreal Button Lichen	Comet Darner
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Boreal Button Lichen

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Comet Darner

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

Boreal Button Lichen

The Boreal Button Lichen (Buellia disciformis) is a species in the genus Buellia. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Comet Darner

<em>Anax longipes</em>, the comet darner, is a large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae, assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is endemic to the United States, where it inhabits lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers with clear water and abundant emergent vegetation. The comet darner is one of the largest North American dragonflies and is distinguished by its brilliant coloration, including a green thorax and a red-spotted abdomen in mature males. The species name longipes refers to its notably long legs. Adults are powerful aerial predators, feeding on a variety of flying insects captured in flight. Larvae are aquatic and predatory, developing in the benthic zone of freshwater habitats where they feed on invertebrates and small vertebrates. The comet darner undertakes seasonal dispersal movements and is most commonly observed near its breeding water bodies during the warmer months.