vs koala

Ciboria coryli compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Least Concern while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Leotiomycetes (Leotiomycetes)	Mammalia (mammifères)
Order	Helotiales (Helotiales)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Sclerotiniaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Ciboria	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Ciboria coryli	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

LC — Least Concern

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Ciboria coryli is a saprotrophic cup fungus in the family Sclerotiniaceae, found in temperate Europe. It typically fruits on the fallen catkins and nuts of hazel (Corylus avellana) in moist woodland, hedgerow, and scrub habitats, emerging from sclerotia within decaying plant material. The fruiting bodies are stalked discs, pale to medium brown, and rarely exceed one centimeter in diameter. Like other members of the genus, Ciboria coryli is a specialist on a particular plant substrate, in this case hazel reproductive material, which determines its seasonal and geographic distribution. It is classified as Least Concern, with populations stable in regions where hazel woodland persists. Hazel coppice and mixed deciduous woodland across central and western Europe provide suitable habitat. The species name coryli directly references its host plant genus. Identification from related species requires microscopic examination of spore size and shape, as well as the character of paraphyses and excipular cells. Ciboria coryli contributes to the decomposition of woodland leaf litter and the cycling of nutrients from fallen organic matter back into the soil. As with many small discomycetes, it is under-recorded relative to its actual abundance. Conservation of hazel-rich woodland habitats benefits this species alongside a wide range of other specialist fungi and invertebrates associated with hazel.

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.