Cardinal Spider vs Common Fieldcap

Tegenaria parietina compared with Agrocybe pediades

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Spider	Common Fieldcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Arachnida (Arachnids)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Araneae (Araneae)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Agelenidae	Strophariaceae
Genus	Tegenaria	Agrocybe
Species	Tegenaria parietina	Agrocybe pediades

Conservation Status

Cardinal Spider

LC — Least Concern

Common Fieldcap

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Spider	Common Fieldcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cardinal Spider

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Portugal.

Common Fieldcap

Habitat

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

Range

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

Cardinal Spider

The Cardinal Spider (Tegenaria parietina) is a species in the genus Tegenaria. It is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Common Fieldcap

The Common Fieldcap (<em>Agrocybe pediades</em>) is a saprotrophic fungus belonging to the genus Agrocybe within the family Strophariaceae. It typically produces small, tan to pale brown cap-shaped fruiting bodies and is often found growing in clusters or scattered on lawns, grassy areas, forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil-rich ecosystems. The species typically inhabits forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems, obtaining nutrients by breaking down dead organic matter. Its geographic range includes several European countries — Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden — as well as the United States in North America. <em>Agrocybe pediades</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting its broad distribution and apparent stability. Biological traits of this species, including specific data on fruiting body size, lifespan, and ecological preferences, remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Like other members of its genus, it typically fruits during warmer months and often appears after rainfall in nutrient-rich grassland and woodland habitats.