Crown-tipped Coral Fungus
EN

Crown-tipped Coral Fungus

Artomyces pyxidatus

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artomyces_pyxidatus

Overview

Artomyces pyxidatus is a coral fungus that is commonly called crown coral or crown-tipped coral fungus. Its most characteristic feature is the crown-like shape of the tips of its branches. The epithet pyxidatus means "box-like"—a reference to this shape.

Crown-tipped Coral Fungus faces significant decline due to habitat loss from deforestation and forest fragmentation, which destroys the decaying hardwood substrates it depends on for survival. Climate change and altered precipitation patterns further threaten this species by disrupting the specific moisture conditions required for fruiting body development and spore dispersal.

Threat summary

Habitat

In eastern North America, A. pyxidatus appears on decaying wood from June to September. It is widespread but uncommon in Western Europe. They are also widely found in the pine forest of northeastern India, known as the "eight sisters of India".

TERRESTRIAL· major

Frequently asked questions

Why is Crown-tipped Coral Fungus classified as Endangered?
Crown-tipped Coral Fungus is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Crown-tipped Coral Fungus faces significant decline due to habitat loss from deforestation and forest fragmentation, which destroys the decaying hardwood substrates it depends on for survival. Climate change and altered precipitation patterns further threaten this species by disrupting the specific moisture conditions required for fruiting body development and spore dispersal.
Where does Crown-tipped Coral Fungus live?
Crown-tipped Coral Fungus occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Crown-tipped Coral Fungus?
The main threats to Crown-tipped Coral Fungus are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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