Alpine Silk-moss vs Collembola

Plagiothecium platyphyllum compared with Folsomides angularis

Key Differences

• Alpine Silk-moss is Near Threatened while Collembola is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Silk-moss	Collembola
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Collembola (springtail)
Order	Hypnales (Hypnales)	Entomobryomorpha (Entomobryomorpha)
Family	Plagiotheciaceae	Isotomidae
Genus	Plagiothecium	Folsomides
Species	Plagiothecium platyphyllum	Folsomides angularis

Conservation Status

Alpine Silk-moss

NT — Near Threatened

Collembola

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Silk-moss	Collembola
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Silk-moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Collembola

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Alpine Silk-moss

The Alpine Silk-moss (Plagiothecium platyphyllum) is a species in the genus Plagiothecium. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Distributed across Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Collembola

<em>Folsomides angularis</em>, commonly referred to as Collembola in reference to its broader taxonomic order, is a springtail species belonging to the genus <em>Folsomides</em>. Springtails are among the most abundant hexapods in terrestrial ecosystems, playing important roles in soil decomposition and nutrient cycling. This species has been documented in Europe, with records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, as well as North America, where it is known from the United States. It typically inhabits soil, leaf litter, and decaying organic matter, and is capable of tolerating a range of environmental conditions. Springtails of this group are detritivores, feeding on decomposing plant material, fungal hyphae, and microorganisms, though specific dietary data for <em>Folsomides angularis</em> are not detailed in current records. The species has not been formally assessed for conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Its small body size and cryptic lifestyle make detailed ecological study challenging.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden