Cramp Balls vs Desert Pocket Gopher

Daldinia concentrica compared with Geomys arenarius

Key Differences

Cramp Balls is Vulnerable while Desert Pocket Gopher is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cramp Balls	Desert Pocket Gopher
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Xylariales (Xylariales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Hypoxylaceae	Geomyidae
Genus	Daldinia	Geomys
Species	Daldinia concentrica	Geomys arenarius

Conservation Status

Cramp Balls

VU — Vulnerable

Desert Pocket Gopher

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cramp Balls	Desert Pocket Gopher
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cramp Balls

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). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.