African elephant vs Common Stinkhorn

Loxodonta africana compared with Phallus impudicus

Key Differences

African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Stinkhorn is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Stinkhorn
Kingdom	Animalia (動物)	Fungi (菌界)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索動物)	Basidiomycota (担子菌門)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳類)	Agaricomycetes (真正担子菌綱)
Order	Proboscidea (ゾウ目)	Phallales (スッポンタケ目)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Phallaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Phallus
Species	Loxodonta africana	Phallus impudicus

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Stinkhorn

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Stinkhorn
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Common Stinkhorn

Habitat

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

Range

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

African elephant

地球上最大の陸上動物であるアフリカゾウは体重7,000 kgに達し、サハラ以南のサバンナ、森林、湿地に生息する。成熟した雌が群れを率いる高度に知的な社会構造を持ち、超低周波音やうなり声、接触によって意思疎通する。木を引き倒したり水飲み場を掘ったり種子を散布したりすることで生態系を形成するエンジニア種だが、象牙の密猟や生息地の喪失により個体数は減少しており、危急（VU）とされている。

Common Stinkhorn

<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.