Buckelwal vs Gemeine Stinkmorchel

Megaptera novaeangliae compared with Phallus impudicus

Key Differences

Buckelwal is Vulnerable while Gemeine Stinkmorchel is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Buckelwal	Gemeine Stinkmorchel
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Phallales (Stinkmorchelartige)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Phallaceae
Genus	Megaptera (Humpback Whales)	Phallus
Species	Megaptera novaeangliae	Phallus impudicus

Conservation Status

Buckelwal

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~80.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Gemeine Stinkmorchel

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Buckelwal	Gemeine Stinkmorchel
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	15.0 m	—
Average Weight	30.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Buckelwal

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Gemeine Stinkmorchel

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (United States).

Buckelwal

Among the most acrobatic of the great whales, humpback whales are renowned for their complex, haunting songs sung by males during breeding season — some lasting hours and evolving over time. Reaching 16 meters and 30 tonnes, they undertake the longest migrations of any mammal. Found in all oceans, humpbacks feed on krill and small fish using cooperative bubble-net feeding. Populations have largely recovered from historic whaling.

Gemeine Stinkmorchel

<em>Phallus impudicus</em>, commonly known as the common stinkhorn, is a basidiomycete fungus belonging to the family Phallaceae within the order Phallales. It is widely distributed across Europe and North America, typically found in deciduous and mixed woodlands, gardens, and areas with rich organic soil. The fungus emerges from an egg-like structure partially buried in the substrate, rapidly developing a spongy, white stalk topped with a dark olive-green gleba that produces a powerful fetid odor resembling rotting flesh. This smell typically attracts flies and other insects, which disperse the spores. <em>Phallus impudicus</em> is saprotrophic, obtaining nutrients by decomposing dead organic matter, and plays an important ecological role in nutrient cycling within forest ecosystems. Biological traits such as average lifespan, precise dimensions under field conditions, and detailed dietary preferences remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its broad distribution and apparent population stability across its native range. It has no known significant threats at the global level.