vs Common Fieldcap

Comatricha ellae compared with Agrocybe pediades

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while Common Fieldcap is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Common Fieldcap
Kingdom	Protozoa (protozoa)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Mycetozoa	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Stemonitidales	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Stemonitidaceae	Strophariaceae
Genus	Comatricha	Agrocybe
Species	Comatricha ellae	Agrocybe pediades

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Fieldcap

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Fieldcap

Habitat

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

Range

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

<em>Comatricha ellae</em> is a plasmodial slime mold in the class Myxomycetes, order Stemonitidales, belonging to the diverse genus <em>Comatricha</em>. Members of this genus are characterized by their stalked sporangia with a persistent stalk and an elaborate internal capillitial network that aids in spore dispersal. <em>C. ellae</em> has been recorded from Europe and South America, growing on decomposing wood, bark, and other plant debris in moist forest environments. The feeding stage of the organism is a multinucleate plasmodium that migrates across substrates and engulfs microorganisms and organic particles. Upon maturation, the plasmodium aggregates and differentiates into sporangia that release airborne spores. As with other myxomycetes, the species lacks conventional biological traits such as body length or mass, and no quantitative metrics are available. It is not evaluated on the IUCN Red List.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden