Common Button Lichen vs Common Raccoon

Buellia erubescens compared with Procyon lotor

Key Differences

• Common Button Lichen is Not Evaluated while Common Raccoon is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Button Lichen	Common Raccoon
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Caliciales (Caliciales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Caliciaceae	Procyonidae (Raccoons)
Genus	Buellia	Procyon
Species	Buellia erubescens	Procyon lotor

Conservation Status

Common Button Lichen

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Raccoon

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Button Lichen	Common Raccoon
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Button Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Taiwan, and United States.

Common Raccoon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Palearctic realms.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (4 countries), Europe (23 countries), North America (5 countries), and South America (Colombia).

Common Button Lichen

<em>Buellia erubescens</em>, commonly known as the common button lichen, is a lichen species with documented occurrences across Asia, Europe, and North America, including countries such as Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United States. It typically colonizes diverse terrestrial surfaces, often found on bark, rock, or other substrates in temperate and boreal environments. Common button lichen belongs to the genus <em>Buellia</em> within the family Caliciaceae. As a crustose lichen, it typically forms tightly adhered, crust-like thalli on the surfaces it colonizes, making it characteristic of stable, undisturbed substrates. Biological traits such as average lifespan, thallus size, and biomass of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species has not yet been formally evaluated by the IUCN, and its global conservation status therefore remains undetermined. Its occurrence across multiple continents suggests a wide ecological tolerance, though detailed population data and trend assessments are currently lacking for this taxon.

Common Raccoon

<em>Procyon lotor</em>, the common raccoon, is a medium-sized mammal in the family Procyonidae, order Carnivora. Native to North America, it has been introduced across parts of Europe and Asia, making it one of the most geographically widespread non-domestic mammals in temperate regions. Raccoons typically inhabit deciduous and mixed forests, wetlands, urban parks, and suburban neighborhoods, demonstrating remarkable adaptability to human-modified landscapes. Their geographic range spans from Canada south through the continental United States into Panama, with introduced populations established in Germany, France, Japan, and parts of Russia. The species is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with populations stable or increasing across much of its range. Raccoons are omnivorous, typically consuming invertebrates, small vertebrates, fish, fruits, nuts, and human refuse depending on seasonal availability. Their distinctive black facial mask and ringed tail make them immediately recognizable. They are primarily nocturnal and are known for their dexterous forepaws, which they use to manipulate food and open containers. Raccoons do not hibernate in most of their range but may enter extended periods of torpor during harsh winters.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States