Cramp Balls vs Lesser Cachalot

Daldinia concentrica compared with Kogia breviceps

Key Differences

• Cramp Balls is Vulnerable while Lesser Cachalot is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cramp Balls	Lesser Cachalot
Kingdom	Fungi (เห็ดรา)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)
Order	Xylariales (Xylariales)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Hypoxylaceae	Kogiidae
Genus	Daldinia	Kogia
Species	Daldinia concentrica	Kogia breviceps

Conservation Status

Cramp Balls

VU — Vulnerable

Lesser Cachalot

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cramp Balls	Lesser Cachalot
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cramp Balls

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

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

Lesser Cachalot

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Portugal, Sweden, and Taiwan.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan