Fly Agaric vs

Amanita muscaria compared with Trichia contorta

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Mycetozoa
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Trichiales (Trichiales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Trichiaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Trichia
Species	Amanita muscaria	Trichia contorta

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric
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).

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

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.

Trichia contorta is a myxomycete producing clusters of small, cylindrical to pear-shaped sporangia on decaying wood, often in early succession on freshly fallen logs. It is distinguished by its twisted elaters, which are hygroscopic coiled threads within the sporangium that assist in spore dispersal. This species is found across temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere.