Brown Ear vs Fly Agaric

Otidea cochleata compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• Brown Ear is Vulnerable while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brown Ear	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Pezizales (Pezizales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Otideaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Otidea	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Otidea cochleata	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Brown Ear and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Fungi)

Conservation Status

Brown Ear

VU — Vulnerable

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brown Ear	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brown Ear

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable 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).

Brown Ear

The Brown Ear (Otidea cochleata) is a species in the genus Otidea. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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 4 countries:

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