Down-looking Moss
Catoscopium nigritum
Catoscopium is a genus of haplolepidous mosses (Dicranidae) in the monotypic family Catoscopiaceae and order Catoscopiales. It contains only a single species, Catoscopium nigritum.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) martina_poeltl, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by martina_poeltl
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Bryophyta
Class
Bryopsida
Order
Catoscopiales
Family
Catoscopiaceae
Genus
Catoscopium
Down-looking Moss belongs to the family Catoscopiaceae, order Catoscopiales, within the Bryopsida class.
Species Profile
Catoscopium is a genus of haplolepidous mosses (Dicranidae) in the monotypic family Catoscopiaceae and order Catoscopiales. It contains only a single species, Catoscopium nigritum.
Down-looking Moss (Catoscopium nigritum) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the hydrological conditions and temperature regimes essential for this species' survival in its limited range.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Down-looking Moss (Catoscopium nigritum) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the hydrological conditions and temperature regimes essential for this species' survival in its limited range.
Climate change impacts on hydrology
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Wetland drainage and modification
Trampling and recreational disturbance
Water pollution and eutrophication
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Down-looking Moss (Catoscopium nigritum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/down-looking-moss