Common Eyelash vs European Mole

Scutellinia scutellata compared with Talpa europaea

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Eyelash	European Mole
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Pezizales (Pezizales)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Pyronemataceae	Talpidae
Genus	Scutellinia	Talpa
Species	Scutellinia scutellata	Talpa europaea

Conservation Status

Common Eyelash

LC — Least Concern

European Mole

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Eyelash	European Mole
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Eyelash

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

European Mole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden.

Common Eyelash

The Common Eyelash (<em>Scutellinia scutellata</em>) is a small cup fungus belonging to the genus Scutellinia within the family Pyronemataceae. It is recognised by its distinctive scarlet to bright red disc-shaped fruiting body, typically measuring just a few millimetres across, and fringed with dark brown hair-like structures resembling eyelashes, from which its common name derives. This species is native to Asia and Europe and North America, and typically inhabits decomposing wood, moist soil, and other organic substrates in humid environments. Its geographic range is wide, with confirmed records across Asia including Taiwan, Europe including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal, North America including the United States, and South America including Brazil. <em>Scutellinia scutellata</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting its broad distribution and apparent abundance. Biological traits such as lifespan, size, and specific dietary habits remain poorly documented in the scientific literature, though as a saprotrophic fungus it typically obtains nutrients by decomposing dead organic matter.