koala vs

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Xenasma rimicola

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	koala
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)	Russulales (Russulales)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Xenasmataceae
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Xenasma
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Xenasma rimicola

Conservation Status

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	koala
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	75 cm	—
Average Weight	10.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

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

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.

Xenasma rimicola is a corticioid fungus in the family Xenasmataceae, assessed as Vulnerable (VU). It grows as a thin, resupinate crust on decaying wood in mature or old-growth forest habitats. Its vulnerable status reflects sensitivity to the removal of deadwood and disturbance of undisturbed forest ecosystems.