Date Waxcap vs Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

Hygrocybe spadicea compared with Heteromys desmarestianus

Key Differences

• Date Waxcap is Endangered while Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Date Waxcap	Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Hygrophoraceae	Heteromyidae
Genus	Hygrocybe	Heteromys
Species	Hygrocybe spadicea	Heteromys desmarestianus

Conservation Status

Date Waxcap

EN — Endangered

Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Date Waxcap	Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Date Waxcap

Habitat

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

Range

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

Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.