Woolly Tooth
VU

Woolly Tooth

Phellodon tomentosus

Unknown

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

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Woolly Tooth faces severe decline due to widespread habitat degradation from logging and forest fragmentation across its range. Air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition, alters soil chemistry and disrupts the delicate mycorrhizal relationships essential for this species' survival. Climate change compounds these pressures by shifting temperature and moisture regimes beyond the species' tolerance thresholds.

Threat summary

Habitat

This distinctive tooth fungus inhabits mature coniferous and mixed forests, forming essential mycorrhizal partnerships with pine, spruce, and fir trees. It typically occurs in undisturbed forest ecosystems with stable soil conditions and established fungal networks.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Thelephoraceae

Fused ToothVU

Fused Tooth

Phellodon confluens

Unknown
VU

Upper Crust

Amaurodon cyaneus

Unknown
VU

Pseudotomentella nigra

Unknown
Grey ToothEN

Grey Tooth

Phellodon melaleucus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Woolly Tooth classified as Vulnerable?
Woolly Tooth is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Woolly Tooth faces severe decline due to widespread habitat degradation from logging and forest fragmentation across its range. Air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition, alters soil chemistry and disrupts the delicate mycorrhizal relationships essential for this species' survival. Climate change compounds these pressures by shifting temperature and moisture regimes beyond the species' tolerance thresholds.
Where does Woolly Tooth live?
Woolly Tooth 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 Woolly Tooth?
The main threats to Woolly Tooth 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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