Fly Agaric vs Sidewalk Firedot

Amanita muscaria compared with Xanthocarpia feracissima

Key Differences

• Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Sidewalk Firedot is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Sidewalk Firedot
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Teloschistales (Teloschistales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Teloschistaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Xanthocarpia
Species	Amanita muscaria	Xanthocarpia feracissima

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Sidewalk Firedot

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Sidewalk Firedot
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).

Sidewalk Firedot

Habitat

Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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