Chrome-Footed Bolete vs Komodo Dragon

Harrya chromapes compared with Varanus komodoensis

Key Differences

Chrome-Footed Bolete is Not Evaluated while Komodo Dragon is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chrome-Footed Bolete	Komodo Dragon
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Boletales (Boletales)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Boletaceae	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus	Harrya	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
Species	Harrya chromapes	Varanus komodoensis

Conservation Status

Chrome-Footed Bolete

NE — Not Evaluated

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chrome-Footed Bolete	Komodo Dragon
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	2.6 m
Average Weight	—	70.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chrome-Footed Bolete

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Norway and United States.

Komodo Dragon

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 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Chrome-Footed Bolete

The chrome-footed bolete (Xerocomus chrysenteron), sometimes treated as synonymous with Boletus chrysenteron, is a bolete mushroom in the family Boletaceae or Xerocomaceae, depending on the classification system applied. The genus Xerocomus has been subject to significant taxonomic revision in recent decades as molecular phylogenetic analyses have reshaped the boundaries of bolete genera. Species in Xerocomus are generally characterized by dry, often velvety caps, yellow to reddish stipes, and a tendency for cut flesh to stain blue. They form ectomycorrhizal relationships with deciduous and coniferous trees, contributing to the nutrient and water uptake capacity of their host trees. Xerocomus chrysenteron is found in temperate forests of Europe and has been recorded in similar forest types elsewhere, fruiting in summer and autumn. The cap often develops characteristic cracks revealing reddish flesh beneath an olive-brown surface. While edible, the species is considered inferior in quality to many other boletes, with soft flesh that deteriorates quickly. It is common and widespread with no conservation concerns of note. Taxonomic uncertainty surrounding the species complex has led to some confusion in identification, and multiple closely related species are now recognized within the broader Xerocomus group.