In the field, Chiloscyphus can easily be confused for the related Heteroscyphus. As a whole however, many of the common Heteroscyphus spp. tend to be larger than Chiloscyphus and the leaves of the former are more consistently continuous with the underleaves, although this character also occurs occasionally in Chiloscyphus (eg. C. leucophyllus). More specifically, the gynoecia (female sexual organs) of Heteroscyphus always occur on short specialized branches arising from the side of a shoot whereas those of Chiloscyphus mostly arise from unspecialized leafy shoots. 

Chiloscyphus semiteres is a common and variable species that can be found in a wide range of habitats and substrates. Chiloscyphus muricatus is another common species which has distinctively hairy looking leaves.