vs koala

Clitocybe subcordispora compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Data Deficient while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Tricholomataceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Clitocybe	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Clitocybe subcordispora	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

DD — Data Deficient

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

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

Clitocybe subcordispora is a saprotrophic agaric fungus in the family Tricholomataceae, with the species epithet subcordispora likely referencing slightly heart-shaped or cordiform spores observed under microscopy, a feature useful in distinguishing it from other pale Clitocybe species. It inhabits temperate European forest floors, woodland margins, and grassy clearings, fruiting in autumn among leaf litter and humus. The fruiting body presents the characteristic Clitocybe form with a depressed to funnel-shaped pale cap, decurrent gills, and cylindrical stipe. Spore morphology is an important taxonomic character within this genus, and the slightly cordiform spore outline of C. subcordispora may reflect adaptation to specific dispersal modes or represent a plesiomorphic character within the clade. The species contributes to saprotrophic fungal diversity in European temperate forests, where dozens of Clitocybe species occupy slightly different ecological niches in the decomposition of leaf litter, woody debris, and soil organic matter, collectively driving the nutrient cycling processes essential to forest ecosystem function.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.