Hedgehog Puffball vs Steppe Puffball

Lycoperdon echinatum compared with Lycoperdon decipiens

Key Differences

• Hedgehog Puffball is Endangered while Steppe Puffball is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hedgehog Puffball	Steppe Puffball
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family same	Lycoperdaceae	Lycoperdaceae
Genus same	Lycoperdon	Lycoperdon
Species	Lycoperdon echinatum	Lycoperdon decipiens

Evolutionary Relationship

Hedgehog Puffball and Steppe Puffball share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Lycoperdon.

Conservation Status

Hedgehog Puffball

EN — Endangered

Steppe Puffball

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hedgehog Puffball	Steppe Puffball
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Hedgehog Puffball

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Steppe Puffball

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden