Fly Agaric vs Smooth Newt

Amanita muscaria compared with Lissotriton vulgaris

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Smooth Newt
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Caudata (Caudata)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Salamandridae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Lissotriton
Species	Amanita muscaria	Lissotriton vulgaris

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Smooth Newt

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Smooth Newt
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).

Smooth Newt

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.