Dark-Spored Puffball vs Narrow-headed Vole

Lycoperdon atropurpureum compared with Microtus gregalis

Key Differences

• Dark-Spored Puffball is Endangered while Narrow-headed Vole is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dark-Spored Puffball	Narrow-headed Vole
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Lycoperdaceae	Cricetidae
Genus	Lycoperdon	Microtus
Species	Lycoperdon atropurpureum	Microtus gregalis

Conservation Status

Dark-Spored Puffball

EN — Endangered

Narrow-headed Vole

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dark-Spored Puffball	Narrow-headed Vole
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.

Narrow-headed Vole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.