brittlestar vs Clouded Agaric

Amphiura filiformis compared with Clitocybe nebularis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	brittlestar	Clouded Agaric
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Echinodermata (Echinoderms)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Ophiuroidea (Ophiuroidea)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Amphilepidida (Amphilepidida)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Amphiuridae	Tricholomataceae
Genus	Amphiura	Clitocybe
Species	Amphiura filiformis	Clitocybe nebularis

Conservation Status

brittlestar

LC — Least Concern

Clouded Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	brittlestar	Clouded Agaric
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

brittlestar

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Clouded Agaric

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and United States.

brittlestar

The Brittlestar (Amphiura filiformis) is a species in the genus Amphiura. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Clouded Agaric

The clouded agaric (Clitocybe nebularis, syn. Lepista nebularis) is a large, robust saprotrophic mushroom in the family Tricholomataceae found across temperate broadleaved and mixed forests of Europe and North America. It produces pale grey to buff fruiting bodies with broad, wavy caps up to 20 cm diameter, crowded, slightly decurrent gills, and a stout stipe, typically emerging in large fairy rings or scattered groups in autumn woodland settings. The common name 'clouded' refers to the greyish, misty coloration of the cap surface. Though historically eaten in parts of Europe and considered edible when thoroughly cooked, C. nebularis is now known to contain toxic compounds and a heat-labile gastrointestinal toxin that causes illness in some individuals, and it is associated with documented poisoning cases. Its strong mealy odor is distinctive. The species is widespread and common across European deciduous forests, fruiting reliably in autumn and forming an important component of the saprotrophic fungal community responsible for decomposing accumulated leaf litter and organic matter in temperate forest ecosystems.