Brook Stippleback Lichen vs Fly Agaric

Dermatocarpon luridum compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• Brook Stippleback Lichen is Critically Endangered while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brook Stippleback Lichen	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Eurotiomycetes (Eurotiomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Verrucariales (Verrucariales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Verrucariaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Dermatocarpon	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Dermatocarpon luridum	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Brook Stippleback Lichen and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Fungi)

Conservation Status

Brook Stippleback Lichen

CR — Critically Endangered

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brook Stippleback 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.

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).

Brook Stippleback Lichen

The Brook Stippleback Lichen (Dermatocarpon luridum) is a species in the genus Dermatocarpon. 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.

Fly Agaric

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States