Brook Floater vs Soft Puffball

Alasmidonta varicosa compared with Lycoperdon molle

Key Differences

Brook Floater is Vulnerable while Soft Puffball is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brook Floater	Soft Puffball
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Unionida (Unionida)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Unionidae	Lycoperdaceae
Genus	Alasmidonta	Lycoperdon
Species	Alasmidonta varicosa	Lycoperdon molle

Conservation Status

Brook Floater

VU — Vulnerable

Soft Puffball

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brook Floater	Soft Puffball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brook Floater

Habitat

Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Soft Puffball

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Brook Floater

The Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) is a species in the genus Alasmidonta. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.