vs Fly Agaric

Comatricha alta compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Protozoa (protozoa)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Mycetozoa	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Stemonitidales	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Stemonitidaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Comatricha	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Comatricha alta	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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).

<em>Comatricha alta</em> is a myxomycete, or plasmodial slime mold, belonging to the order Stemonitidales within the class Myxomycetes. Like all members of the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, it occupies a unique position in the tree of life, exhibiting characteristics that were historically associated with both fungi and protozoa but are now classified within the supergroup Amoebozoa. The species produces fruiting bodies consisting of delicate, thread-like capillitial networks enclosed within a peridium, and forms spores that are dispersed by air currents. <em>C. alta</em> has been documented from Europe, where it occurs on decaying woody substrates such as rotting logs, fallen bark, and dead plant matter in forested and shaded environments. It thrives in moist, humid conditions that support the feeding plasmodial stage, during which it engulfs bacteria, fungal spores, and organic particles. No quantitative biological traits data are available for this species.

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 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden