Dark blind ray vs Fly Agaric

Benthobatis moresbyi compared with Amanita muscaria

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dark blind ray	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Torpediniformes (electric ray)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Narcinidae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Benthobatis	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Benthobatis moresbyi	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Dark blind ray

LC — Least Concern

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dark blind ray	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dark blind ray

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).

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.