Fly Agaric vs Taiwan spurdog

Amanita muscaria compared with Squalus formosus

Key Differences

• Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Taiwan spurdog is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Taiwan spurdog
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Elasmobranchii
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Squaliformes (Squaliformes)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Squalidae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Squalus
Species	Amanita muscaria	Squalus formosus

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Taiwan spurdog

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Taiwan spurdog
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).

Taiwan spurdog

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.