vs koala

Hymenochaete cinnamomea compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Fungi (เห็ดรา)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)
Order	Hymenochaetales (Hymenochaetales)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Hymenochaetaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Hymenochaete	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Hymenochaete cinnamomea	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

VU — Vulnerable

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

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

Range

Widely distributed across 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.

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.

Hymenochaete cinnamomea is a cinnamon-brown, leathery corticioid fungus forming resupinate to effused-reflexed fruiting bodies on dead hardwood. It inhabits temperate and subtropical forests, growing on the bark of dead standing trees and fallen logs. This wood-decay fungus causes brown rot in hardwood species and participates in forest nutrient cycling.

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.