Fly Agaric vs Scaly Ink Cap

Amanita muscaria compared with Coprinopsis variegata

Key Differences

• Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Scaly Ink Cap is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Scaly Ink Cap
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Psathyrellaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Coprinopsis
Species	Amanita muscaria	Coprinopsis variegata

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and Scaly Ink Cap share a common ancestor at the Order level: Agaricales. (Gilled Mushrooms)

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Scaly Ink Cap

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Scaly Ink Cap
Diet	Decomposer	—
Average Lifespan	1 years	—
Average Length	20 cm	—
Average Weight	100 g	—

Habitat & Geographic 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).

Scaly Ink Cap

Habitat

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

Range

Found in United States.

Fly Agaric

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States