Colorful Pericote vs Slender Waxcap

Auliscomys pictus compared with Hygrocybe radiata

Key Differences

• Colorful Pericote is Least Concern while Slender Waxcap is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Colorful Pericote	Slender Waxcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Cricetidae	Hygrophoraceae
Genus	Auliscomys	Hygrocybe
Species	Auliscomys pictus	Hygrocybe radiata

Conservation Status

Colorful Pericote

LC — Least Concern

Slender Waxcap

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Colorful Pericote	Slender Waxcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Colorful Pericote

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Slender Waxcap

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Colorful Pericote

<em>Auliscomys pictus</em>, the colorful pericote, is a rodent in the family Cricetidae within the diverse South American assemblage of sigmodontine mice. This species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN and is associated with diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Pericotes of the genus <em>Auliscomys</em> are typically inhabitants of high-altitude Andean environments, including puna grasslands, rocky slopes, and shrublands above the treeline. The colourful pelage suggested by the common name may reflect variation between the dorsal and ventral fur colouration typical of many Andean small mammals, providing countershading against open sky and substrate backgrounds. Like other small Andean rodents, <em>Auliscomys pictus</em> is likely omnivorous to herbivorous in diet, consuming seeds, plant material, and occasionally invertebrates. These rodents serve as important prey items for Andean raptors, foxes, and mustelids, occupying a central trophic position in high-altitude ecosystems. Limited survey data from specific countries have been recorded for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.