Date Waxcap vs Komodo Dragon

Hygrocybe spadicea compared with Varanus komodoensis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Date Waxcap	Komodo Dragon
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Hygrophoraceae	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus	Hygrocybe	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
Species	Hygrocybe spadicea	Varanus komodoensis

Conservation Status

Date Waxcap

EN — Endangered

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Date Waxcap	Komodo Dragon
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	2.6 m
Average Weight	—	70.0 kg

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.

Komodo Dragon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Indonesia. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.