Dune Cup vs Fly Agaric

Peziza ammophila compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

Dune Cup is Vulnerable while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dune Cup	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Pezizales (Pezizales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Pezizaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Peziza	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Peziza ammophila	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Dune Cup and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Fungi)

View Kingdom: Fungi

Conservation Status

Dune Cup

VU — Vulnerable

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dune Cup	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dune Cup

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

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

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.