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The present study is a compilation of moss flora of Western Himalayas (India). This compilation listed 745 species of mosses, belonging to 19 orders; 55 families and 230 genera. Out of these 17 species have been reported endemic from Western Himalayas. 196 species have been synonymized and status of 86 species is still doubtful i.e. unresolved name. At present out of 745 only 463 species are validly known from this mountain range of India
In the present study the level of S, Cu, Cr, Cd, Zn, Pb and Cr was estimated in samples of the common thalloid liverwort Plagiochasma rupestre (G. Frost) Stephani, from Ranthambhore National park, Rajasthan (India). High metallic load was observed both in substrate as well as in plant tissue at locations adjacent to higher vehicular load, during winter the metallic content is highest, followed by summer and monsoon season. Elemental concentration in substrate for Plagiochasma rupestre was in the order of Zn> S> Pb> Cu> Cd> Cr, while in plant tissue it showed S> Zn> Pb> Cu> Cd> Cr, which is indicative of air borne trace elemental load. Quantitative analysis of these elements in vegetative thalli of Plagiochasma rupestre and the substrate showed an increase in metallic content during winter, which reveals the significance of this liverwort as a biological sink of mineral elements present in the soil and air and may provide an important tool in estimation of both aerial pollution and mineral enrichment in soil.
The present contribution is an enumerated account of mosses of Munsyari (Pithoragarh), Western Himalayas. The study revealed the presence 8 orders, 20 families, 32 genera and 44 species in the area. Moss species viz. Anoectangium walkeri Broth., Actinothuidium hookeri (Mitt.) Broth. Stereophyllum ligulatum Jaeg., Anomodon minor (Hedw.) Fŭrnr., Hageniells assamica Dixon, Schoenobryum cocavifolia (Griff.) Gang., Entodon luteonitens Ren. et Card. and Physcomitrium pulchellum (Grif.) Mitt. are reported for the first time from Munsiyari hills as well as western Himalayas as welcome additions to the bryoflora of Uttarakhand (Western Himalaya).
Similipal Biosphere Reserve is a part of biotic province of Chhotanagpur Plateau. It has a representative ecosystem under Mahanadian biogeographic region. Its biodiversity is an assemblage representation of Western Ghats and North-East India. Regarding bryophytes this area was rather unexplored and the current investigation shows the occurrence of 33 taxa of bryophytes in this biosphere reserve and its neighboring areas. Each species has been enumerated with its ecological and distributional details.
The present contribution revealed the occurrence of Hypnum plumaeforme Wilson belonging to family Hypnaceae (Bryopsida) for the first time in Munsiyari region of Uttarakhand state, which is a new addition to the bryoflora of Western Himalayas. Earlier this species was known only from eastern Himalayas (Nepal).
Scanning electron microscope analyses of sporoderm of 7 species of 3 genera of Marchantiales are presented in this study. In the studied species, sporoderm exhibit a broad range of morphology and have taxonomic specificity. The structurally rigid sporoderms have specific sculpturing and characteristic patterning. Peculiar architectures are found in different taxa, which revealed that and stable architectures may be present within an order. Sporoderms usually have specific surface markings which are often one of the best parameters to identify any species.
Reproduction in bryophytes is by asexual as well as sexual means. Asexual reproduction is a significant adaptation to special environments and occurs by a large variety of methods. During the last few decades, many of the bryophytes, particularly the dioecious ones are reported to have registered a decline in their fertile populations. There is, therefore, a need to understand the reasons for their disappearance.
Three new species of the genus Helicopsyche von Siebold (Trichoptera: Helicopsychidae), H. botosaneanui, H. verrucaspinosa, and H. inusitata, from Vietnam are described, and 1 new country record, H. pathoumthongi Johanson and Malm, is reported. The male of H. boniata Malicky and Chantaramongkol is redescribed to facilitate comparisons with two of the new species.
This paper presents the first comprehensive list of 2,688 species of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) recorded from Brazil. The list is based on the taxonomic and ecological literature, and new records from some insect collections, and includes locality references for each species. In addition, Brazilian localities and the country-level distribution outside of Brazil are provided for each species. Brazilian localities are organized by state, and include the bibliographic reference and page number where each locality was reported. All localities are geo-referenced, organized by state, and listed in an Appendix.
The present study deals with the investigation of bryophytic flora of Mukteshwar (Uttarakhand). The present account deals with the study of 38 species belonging to 31 genera of 21 families. The mosses are represented by 21 species of 20 genera and 12 families, while Liverworts are represented by 15 species of 10 genera and 8 families. Hornworts consist of 1 genus and 2 species. The dominant families are Aytoniaceae, Marchantiaceae, Thuidiaceae and Pottiaceae. The dominant genera are Plagiochasma, Targionia, Marchantia, Plagiochila, Atrichum, Thuidium and Pogonatum. Macrothamnium stigmatophyllum has been identified as new to western Himalaya, while Thuidium philiberti Limpr. is new to Uttarakhand.
180 species of bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae and Platypodinae) are known to occur in Texas and Oklahoma. 175 species are known from Texas, 35 of which are reported here for the first time. 78 species are known from Oklahoma, 47 of which are new records for the state. Based on overall distribution patterns the largest group of species found in Texas and virtually all known from Oklahoma are widely distributed in eastern and southeastern North America, reaching their southwestern limits here. In the case of Texas other large elements include Neotropical elements shared with Mexico and a large number found in southwestern North America. New distribution and significant new host records are discussed. Distribution maps are included for most species and a checklist is provided as an appendix.
Two new species of Thomisidae are described (Mecaphesa reddelli sp. nov. and Tmarus galapagosensis sp. nov.). Of a third species, Mecaphesa inclusa (Banks, 1902), three colour variations are described. Tmarus specimens previously listed from the islands have always erroneously been called T. stolzmanni Keyserling, 1880. The Philodromidae are mentioned for the first time for the archipelago and are represented by two new species: Apollophanes fitzroyi sp. nov. and Apollophanes (?) lonesomegeorgei sp. nov.
A taxonomic revision of the cichlid genus Astatoreochromis is presented. Eighteen meristic and 23 morphometric measurements were taken on 185 individuals, including type specimens. While fin counts separate populations from the Lake Victoria region (Astatoreochromis alluaudi) from those of the Rusizi and Malagarazi rivers in the Lake Tanganyika basin (A. vanderhorsti and A. straeleni respectively), clear differentiation was not detected between the latter two. Mann-Whitney U-tests on specimens of comparable size from the two Tanganyika populations revealed significant differences in specimens < 75 mm SL, mainly in pharyngeal jaw proportions, but also in some other measurements on the head and body. However, these differences were not detected in specimens > 75 mm SL and Astatoreochromis vanderhorsti is herein considered a junior synonym of A. straeleni. A redescription of the two valid species of Astatoreochromis, A. alluaudi and A.straeleni, is provided.
A summary is given of the published host plant and descriptive immature stage morphology data for 671 species and 11 subspecies in 54 genera of Australian jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). New host data for 155 species and 3 subspecies in 17 genera including the first published data for 75 species are included.
Based on newly designated type material, four poorly known NE Atlantic cheilostome bryozoan species are redescribed and imaged: Cellaria harmelini d’Hondt from the northern Bay of Biscay, Hippomenella mucronelliformis (Waters) from Madeira, Myriapora bugei d’Hondt from the Azores, and Characodoma strangulatum, occurring from Mauritania to southern Portugal. Moreover, Notoplites saojorgensis sp. nov. from the Azores, formerly reported as Notoplites marsupiatus (Jullien), is newly described. The genus Hippomenella Canu & Bassler is transferred from the lepraliomorph family Escharinidae Tilbrook to the umbonulomorph family Romancheinidae Jullien.
Anomalies in female receptacle of Plagiochasma appendiculatum Lehm. & Lindenb.- A report from J&K.
(2013)
The genus Plagiochasma belonging to the order Marchantiales has been very well worked out with respect to the structure and development of male and female receptacles. In the present paper, the author reports abnormalities in archegoniophores along with the anatomical details of the same. This report from J&K is altogether new.
We revise the species-level taxonomy of the Crematogaster (Crematogaster) degeerispecies-assemblage, a group of related ants occuring in Madagascar and the wider Malagasy region, and further provide an identification key to all species-groups of the genus Crematogaster in this region. Within the C. degeeri-assemblage, we recognize twelve species based upon morphological data from worker, queen and male ants, as well as genetic data from the barcode region of cytochrome oxidase I. Seven new species are described: Crematogaster alafara Blaimer sp. nov., C. bara Blaimer sp. nov., C. mafybe Blaimer sp. nov., C.maina Blaimer sp. nov., C. malahelo Blaimer sp. nov., C. masokely Blaimer sp. nov., C. ramamy Blaimer sp. nov. Crematogaster tricolor Gerstäcker, 1859 (stat. rev.) and C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893 (stat. nov.) are raised to species level, and the following new synonymies are proposed: Crematogaster degeeri lunaris Santschi, 1928 as a synonym of C. degeeri Forel, 1886; Crematogaster sewelli improba Forel, 1907 and C. sewelli mauritiana Forel, 1907 as synonyms of C. dentata Dalla Torre, 1893, and C. pacifi ca Santschi, 1919 as a synonym of C. lobata Emery, 1895. Species descriptions, images, and distribution maps and identification keys based on worker ants, as well as on queen ants where available, are presented for all twelve species. In addition, we present a molecular gene tree for cytochrome oxidase I and summarize levels of sequence divergence within and between species of the C. degeeri-species-assemblage. Our findings are discussed in the light of previous work on Malagasy Crematogaster ants.
Cteniogaster, a new genus of small ground spiders is described from Kenya and Tanzania. It encompasses seven new species, three of which are known from both sexes: C. toxarchus sp. nov., the type species, C. conviva sp. nov. and C. hexomma sp. nov. Three species are known from females only: C. lampropus sp. nov., C. sangarawe sp. nov. and C. taxorchis sp. nov. and one only from males: C. nana sp. nov. The new genus can be recognised by the presence of a posterior ventral abdominal f eld of strong setae and anterior lateral spinnerets with enlarged piriform gland spigots in males. A cladistic analysis attributes the genus to Liocranidae, Cybaeodinae. The results of the analysis performed do not produce an unequivocal autapomorphy for Liocranidae, but provide a combination of non-homoplasious character changes that offers significant potential for recognising genera as Liocranidae. Moreover, robust apomorphies are determined within Liocranidae for the subfamilies Liocraninae and Cybaeodinae. Based on these fi ndings Toxoniella Warui & Jocqué, 2002 is transferred from Gallieniellidae to Liocranidae, Cybaeodinae. Jacaena Thorell, 1897, Plynnon Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 and Teutamus Thorell, 1890 are transferred to Corinnidae, Phrurolithinae and Montebello Hogg, 1914 to Gnaphosidae. Itatsina Kishida, 1930 is synonymised with Prochora Simon, 1886.
We present a preliminary checklist of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) compiled for St. Eustatius, an island located in the Lesser Antilles of the eastern Caribbean. The list has nine species, including six that have not been previously documented on St. Eustatius. One species is exotic to the Caribbean, one species is found only on St. Eustatius and St. Kitts, and five species occur elsewhere in the Lesser and Greater Antilles. Two of the collected specimens could not be assigned to a species; their geographical distributions are unknown.
Dilatitibialis Duverger (61 species) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae: Coccidulinae; Hyperaspidini) is discussed, species described, illustrations provided, and a key to all recognized taxa included. Cleothera cognata Mulsant, Cleothera cruciferae Mulsant, Cleothera fuscomaculata Mulsant, Cleothera gaynoni Mulsant, Cleothera glyphica Mulsant, Cleothera jucunda Mulsant, Cleothera luteola Mulsant, Cleothera mulsanti Kirsch, Cleothera oseryi Mulsant, Cleothera poortmanni Mulsant, Cleothera scenica Mulsant, Cleothera semicincta Weise, Cleothera tropicalis Mulsant, Hinda guttipennis Weise, Hyperaspis carolinae Crotch, Hyperaspis ceciliae Crotch, Hyperaspis dilatata Crotch, Hyperaspis florifera Vogel, Hyperaspis gravabilis Brèthes, Hyperaspis hybridula Crotch, Hyperaspis laterinotata Brèthes, Hyperaspis silvani Crotch, and Hyperaspis suzannae Crotch are transferred to Dilatitibialis, becoming new combinations. Lectotypes are designated for D. boliviana, D. cognata, D. florifera, D. fuscomaculata, D. gaynoni, D. glyphica, D. gravabilis, D. guttipennis, D. luteola, D. jucunda, D. mulsanti. D. poortmanni, D. retigera, D. scenica, D. semicincta, and D. staudingeri. A total of 38 new species of Dilatitibialis are described: Dilatitibialis annie, D. carmen, D. cindy, D. connie, D. crystal, D. dawn, D. diana, D. edith, D. edna, D. elaine, D. ellen, D. emily, D. ethel, D. fallax, D. florence, D. gladys, D. grace, D. josephine, D. kim, D. lillian, D. lois, D. marjorie, D. norma, D. paula, D. peggy, D. phyllis, D. rita, D. robin, D. rosa, D. shannon, D. sheila, D. sherry, D. sylvia, D. thelma, D. tiffany, D. tina, D. tracy, and D. wendy. Corrections are made to titles of previous Parts of this series, as follows: South American Coccinellidae, Part XII (Gordon 2007) is changed to Part XIII; South American Coccinellidae, Part XII (Gordon et al. 2013) is changed to Part XIV.
The external morphology of the thorax and abdomen of four species of Neotropical Hesperiidae, belonging to different tribes, are described and illustrated. The morphological characters traditionally used in the classification of the family are reviewed and new information is added with emphasis on the characters usually neglected in the classification and identification of Hesperiidae and Lepidoptera. The use of these characters, along with those commonly used in literature for the identification and taxonomy of the family, is discussed, aiming to contribute to comparative studies of morphology and taxonomy of this group.
The molecular phylogeny of Miliusa (Annonaceae) is reconstructed, with 27 (of ca. 50) species included, using a combination of seven plastid markers (rbcL exon, trnL intron, trnL-F spacer, matK exon, ndhF exon, psbA-trnH spacer, and ycf1 exon) constituting ca. 7 kb. In addition, two new species of Miliusa are described from the Malesian area: M. butonensis sp. nov. from Buton Island, Indonesia and M. viridifl ora sp. nov. from Papua New Guinea. The former is included in the molecular phylogenetic analysis. The reconstructed phylogeny corresponds well to the informal morphological grouping proposed earlier. A revised key to 13 Austro-Malesian species of Miliusa is provided.
An overview of Nepenthes in the Philippines is presented. Four new species, Nepenthes extincta sp. nov., N. kitanglad sp. nov., N. kurata sp. nov. and N. leyte sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Philippines and placed in the Nepenthes alata group. An updated circumscription and key to the species of the group is provided. Delimitation and comparison with the Regiae group is given. All four of the newly described species are assessed as threatened using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature 2012 standard, and one, N. extincta sp. nov. is considered likely to be already extinct due to open-cast mining. Logging and conversion of forest habitat are thought to be the main threats to the other three species.
Odonata records from Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve and the surrounding area in Johor, Peninsular Malaysia are presented. A total of 44 Odonata species from eight families were collected in the area in October 2012. All of these records are new to Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve. Indothemis carnitica is a new record for Malaysia.
Data are presented for 29 chrysomelid species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) occurring in the Cayman Islands, West Indies, 26 of these not having been reported from these islands previously. Altica occidentalis Suffrian is removed from the genus Lysathia Bechyné and reinstated in Altica Geoffroy. Chaetocnema perplexa Blake is synonymized with Chaetocnema confinis Crotch, new synonymy. Omophoita cyanipennis octomaculata (Crotch) is synonymized with Omophoita cyanipennis (Fabricius), new synonymy. The following nine species are named and described: Apraea luciae, Apraea priscilae, Cryptocephalus catharinae, Cryptocephalus kirki, Cryptocephalus paulotigrinus, Longitarsus alisonae, Megistops adiae, Nyctiplanctus bifasciatus, Syphrea thurstonae, all are new species. Taxonomic notes and a key to species, as well as information on plant associations and extralimital distribution, are also provided.
New Zealand species of Iphimediidae, Amphipoda, are revised. Based on new material from the Chatham Rise, east of New Zealand, two new species are described in detail: Labriphimedia meikae sp. nov. and Labriphimedia martinae sp. nov. A key to the six species belonging to three genera of New Zealand Iphimediidae is provided.
This addendum to “An annotated list of the centipedes (Chilopoda) in The National Collection of Arachnids (Colección Nacional de Arácnidos, CNAN), Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México” (México City), is based on new samples deposited in the last three years. It updates the preliminary list of 197 samples determined to genus and/or species. In this paper a total of 132 samples were added: Scutigeromorpha, 27; and Scolopendromorpha, 105. It also provides new state distribution records for Dendrothereua linceci (Wood, 1867), Scolopendra morsitans Linnaeus, 1758, S. polymorpha Wood, 1861, Rhysida immarginata (Porat, 1876), Scolopocryptops melanostomus Newport, 1845, Newportia spinipes Pocock, 1896, and Ectonocryptoides quadrimeropus Shelley and Mercurio, 2005.
Two new species of Deltosoma Thomson, 1864 are described from French Guiana: D. humeralis sp. nov. and D. fernandezi sp. nov. Deltosoma lacordairei Thomson, 1864 is redescribed based on examination of the holotype. A study of the aedeagi of these three species was conducted. Dorsal habitus photographs of both sexes, ventral photographs of males, and aedeagi photographs are provided.
Barail Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) lies amidst the tropical forests of the state Assam, India between the coordinates 24o58' – 25o5' North latitudes and 92o46' – 92o52' East longitudes. It covers an area of about 326.24 sq. km. with the altitude ranging from 100 – 1850 m. An ongoing study on the group Marchantiophyta (liverworts, bryophyta) of BWS reveals the presence of 42 species belonging to 24 genera and 14 families. Among these, one genus (Conocephalum Hill) and 13 species are recorded as new for the state of Assam, eight species have been found which are endemic to India, seven species are recorded as rare and one species, Heteroscyphus pandei S.C. Srivast. & Abha Srivast. as threatened within the study area. Out of 24 genera identified, 46% have been found growing purely as terrestrials, 25% as purely epiphytes and 29% have been found to grow both as terrestrials as well as epiphytes. Among these, a diverse and interesting range of microhabitats have also been observed for each taxon. It has been found that genera having vast range of microhabitats comprise large percentage of the total liverwort flora of BWS.
Ostracods belonging to the genus Bennelongia differ much in valve morphology between adults and juveniles. Adult valves are asymmetrical, characterised by a beak-like feature in the anteroventral region of the left valve, and, with some notable exceptions, mostly have smooth or weaklyornamented valves. Juvenile specimens, on the other hand, have valves that are almost symmetrical, with no beak-like feature and are often heavily ornamented. We have examined the last 3 - 4 juvenile stages of 6 Bennelongia species from 5 different lineages, in order to decipher the types of external valve ornamentation and their recurrences during ontogeny and across lineages. It is clear that ornamentation is more prevalent at the early instar stages compared to the last 2 pre-adult stages, and especially when compared to the adult stage itself. We also examined the surprising presence of a calcified inner lamella with a prominent inner list in the pre-adult stages of Bennelongia species, that is usually absent in juveniles of other ostracods, thus questioning if heterochronic processes have provided an intermediate valve morphology between the simple (normal) cypridinid juvenile state and the heavily derived and modifi ed state of adult Bennelongia. We discuss the possible (speculative) functionality of the ornamentation in juveniles.
The new species Cephalocyclus majomaensis and Oscarinus cabreroi from Mexico are described and figured. While studying specimens from Mexico to complete a systematic revision of the Aphodiinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of that region, we found a couple of species new to science. They belong to the genera Cephalocyclus Dellacasa, Gordon and Dellacasa, 1998 and Oscarinus Gordon and Skelley, 2007, and are described here.
The species richness of the frugivorous fruit fly fauna of western African (in particular of Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria) is discussed. The diversity is compared at a national level and between the ecoregions within the national boundaries of the study area. A new species, Dacus goergeni sp. nov. is described and additional taxonomic notes are presented.
A boat dug out of a Alnus (alder) trunk about 4,000 years ago had the space between the transom (stern) board and the slot cut in the hull caulked with mosses principally a mass of Anomodon viticulosus but there were thirteen other mosses and one liverwort. The mosses allow the tentative deduction that the boat may not have been caulked at Degersee or, if caulked there, the mosses had been gathered elsewhere in the vicinity and brought to the boat.
Records of Odonata from Kuching and Samarahan, the western administrative divisions of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo, are presented. Forty-two species are listed from Bako National Park, and eighty-nine species are listed from various other locations. Notable records, not yet publishedin detail elsewhere, include Aciagrion ?fasiculare, Bornargiolestes species, Pericnemis species cf triangularis, Coeliccia new species and Tetrathemis flavescens.
Records of Odonata from Kubah National Park, near Kuching in west Sarawak, are presented. Eighty-five species are known from the national park. Notable records include Drepanosticta drusilla, Rhinocypha species cf spinifer, Bornagriolestes species, Anaciaeschna species and Macromidia genialis erratica.
Type material of the species of Alloxysta described by Cameron and Fergusson and deposited in the Natural History Museum of London has been revised. Seven species are considered valid: Alloxysta abdera Fergusson, 1986, A. basimacula (Cameron, 1886), A. crassa (Cameron, 1889), A. mullensis (Cameron, 1883), A. piceomaculata (Cameron, 1883), A. pleuralis (Cameron, 1879) and A. semiaperta Fergusson, 1986. A. basimacula, A. crassa, A. maculicollis (Cameron, 1886), A. perplexa (Cameron, 1889) and A. piceomaculata are here removed from synonymy with A. macrophadna (Hartig, 1841). A. rufi ceps (Cameron, 1883) is removed from synonymy with A. victrix (Westwood, 1833). A. caledonica (Cameron, 1886) and A. perplexa are here synonymized with A. basimacula. A. maculicollis, A. ruficeps and A. ruficollis (Cameron, 1883) are here synonymized with A. castanea (Hartig, 1841). A. ancylocera (Cameron, 1886) was correctly synonymized with A. fuscicornis (Hartig, 1841), A. curvicornis (Cameron, 1883) was correctly synonymized with A. victrix and A. filicornis (Cameron, 1889) was correctly synonymized with A. macrophadna. Complete redescriptions and illustrations are given for valid species. A key for all the Alloxysta species found so far in Great Britain is given.
Thalloid liverworts with unistratose thallus margins are easily determined as Aneura maxima, which shall be identified by this character. However, forms of Pellia epiphylla and P. endiviifolia grown under humid conditions can have an unistratose undulate thallus margin and thus confused with the latter. Pellia species can, however, be distinguished from Aneura by the presence of slime hairs vz. slime papillae, which are described and illustrated here.
Hot spots are characterized by the occurrence of „hot“ species, rare, endangered, phytogeographically (for example highly disjunct) or ecologically interesting species (for example heavy metal species). The Apuanian Alps (ital. Alpi Apuani) are a place of extraordinary botanical and also bryological interest. Although situated far from the west coast of Europe, many atlantic species are found there, which have isolated occurrences and show up next in Asturias, Macaronesia. Ireland or Scotland. Representative of the oceanic element in the bryoflora are Dumortiera hirsuta, Lejeunea lamacerina, Lophocolea fragrans, Plagiochila exigua, P. bifaria, Saccogyna viticulosa, Harpalejeunea ovata and Marchesinia mackaii, supplemented by ferns such as Trichomanes speciosum and Hymenophyllum tunbrigense (Cortini-Pedrotti et al. 1992). Reasons for the presence of such species in Italy are the extraordinary climatic conditions. Situated directly along the Meditrerranean Sea, the climate is mild and due to depressions in the gulf of Genova, the rain is caught by the mountains resulting in a high precipitation of about 1400 at the foot of the region and more than 3000 mm in the summit region. This does, however, not explain whether these species are relics from the Tertiary or dispersed from the W-coast of Europe after the Pleistocene glaciations.
The location of Ticino in the southern Alps with an altitudinal range from 200 to more than 3000 m generates a high biodiversity of bryophytes, however, in addition, a mixture of mediterranean elements (caused by mild temperatures), atlantic elements (caused by high precipitation) and especially insubrian elements (confined to the Southern Alps) has attracted many famous bryologists over the past 150 years and make this region to a real bryological hot spot. Six of the 7 insubrian species are mainly distributed in North America. Their presence in the Southern Alps is correlated with a certain geological formation and their origin is not clear.
Dicranodontium didymodon, a species described from the Himalaya was recently reported from Spain. It has been distinguished from D. denudatum by a smooth subula. A reexamination of the type of this species revealed no additional characters which would support the recognition of a separate species. Therefore D. didymodon is synonymised with D. denudatum. The specimen from Spain is referred to D. denudatum var. glabrum, which differs from D. didymodon by larger stature and lack of brood leaves.