Alder Spittlebug vs Common Extinguisher-moss

Aphrophora alni compared with Encalypta vulgaris

Key Differences

• Alder Spittlebug is Least Concern while Common Extinguisher-moss is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alder Spittlebug	Common Extinguisher-moss
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Bryophyta
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order	Hemiptera (Hemiptera)	Encalyptales (Encalyptales)
Family	Aphrophoridae	Encalyptaceae
Genus	Aphrophora	Encalypta
Species	Aphrophora alni	Encalypta vulgaris

Conservation Status

Alder Spittlebug

LC — Least Concern

Common Extinguisher-moss

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alder Spittlebug	Common Extinguisher-moss
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alder Spittlebug

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Common Extinguisher-moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Alder Spittlebug

The Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) is a species in the genus Aphrophora. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Common Extinguisher-moss

<em>Encalypta vulgaris</em>, the common extinguisher moss, is a acrocarpous moss in the family Encalyptaceae, classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, indicating a concerning decline in populations across parts of its European range. The species is documented in Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Portugal, where it is native to European calcareous habitats. <em>Encalypta vulgaris</em> typically grows on dry to moist calcareous rocks, soil banks, old walls, and disturbed ground with base-rich substrates, often in open or semi-shaded microhabitats. The common name refers to the distinctive elongated calyptra, a cap-like structure that covers the developing sporophyte and resembles an old-fashioned candle snuffer or extinguisher. The calyptra is persistent and fringed at its base, a diagnostic feature of the genus <em>Encalypta</em>. This moss is sensitive to nitrogen pollution and habitat disturbance, and its Vulnerable status reflects the loss and degradation of calcareous grasslands and rock habitats across Europe due to agricultural intensification, urban development, and changing land management. It plays a role in soil stabilization and moisture retention in the rocky and disturbed habitats it colonizes. Conservation of calcareous habitats is essential for maintaining populations of this and many other specialist plant and lichen species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden