Boreal Button Lichen vs Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

Buellia disciformis compared with Heteromys desmarestianus

Key Differences

• Boreal Button Lichen is Critically Endangered while Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Boreal Button Lichen	Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Caliciales (Caliciales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Caliciaceae	Heteromyidae
Genus	Buellia	Heteromys
Species	Buellia disciformis	Heteromys desmarestianus

Conservation Status

Boreal Button Lichen

CR — Critically Endangered

Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Boreal Button Lichen	Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse
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.

Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.

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.