vs Fly Agaric

Cortinarius salor compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• is Vulnerable while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Cortinariaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Cortinarius	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Cortinarius salor	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Order level: Agaricales. (Gilled Mushrooms)

Conservation Status

VU — Vulnerable

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

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

Range

Distributed across Norway, Sweden, and Taiwan. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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).

Cortinarius salor is a webcap mushroom recognised by its slimy, blue-violet cap and paler gills that mature to rusty brown as spores develop. It forms ectomycorrhizal partnerships with broadleaf trees, especially beech, in European temperate forests. Classified as Vulnerable, this species is threatened by the loss of mature, undisturbed deciduous woodland.

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 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden