Cramp Balls vs False Water Rat

Daldinia concentrica compared with Xeromys myoides

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cramp Balls	False Water Rat
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Xylariales (Xylariales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Hypoxylaceae	Muridae (Mice & Rats)
Genus	Daldinia	Xeromys
Species	Daldinia concentrica	Xeromys myoides

Conservation Status

Cramp Balls

VU — Vulnerable

False Water Rat

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cramp Balls	False Water Rat
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.