Dark-Spored Puffball vs Harmless Serotine

Lycoperdon atropurpureum compared with Eptesicus innoxius

Key Differences

• Dark-Spored Puffball is Endangered while Harmless Serotine is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dark-Spored Puffball	Harmless Serotine
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Lycoperdaceae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Lycoperdon	Eptesicus
Species	Lycoperdon atropurpureum	Eptesicus innoxius

Conservation Status

Dark-Spored Puffball

EN — Endangered

Harmless Serotine

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dark-Spored Puffball	Harmless Serotine
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dark-Spored Puffball

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Harmless Serotine

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ecuador. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.