False Water Rat vs Scaly Stalkball

Xeromys myoides compared with Tulostoma melanocyclum

Key Differences

• False Water Rat is Vulnerable while Scaly Stalkball is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	False Water Rat	Scaly Stalkball
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Muridae (Mice & Rats)	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Xeromys	Tulostoma
Species	Xeromys myoides	Tulostoma melanocyclum

Conservation Status

False Water Rat

VU — Vulnerable

Scaly Stalkball

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	False Water Rat	Scaly Stalkball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

False Water Rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Scaly Stalkball

Habitat

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

Range

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