Fly Agaric vs Small Stagshorn

Amanita muscaria compared with Calocera cornea

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Small Stagshorn
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Dacrymycetes (Dacrymycetes)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Dacrymycetales (Dacrymycetales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Dacrymycetaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Calocera
Species	Amanita muscaria	Calocera cornea

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and Small Stagshorn share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Basidiomycota. (Club Fungi)

View Phylum: Basidiomycota

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Small Stagshorn

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Small Stagshorn
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).

Small Stagshorn

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (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.