The Splachnaceae is the only moss family in which entomophily has been observed. There are three kinds of adaptation for entomophily: (1) adaptations to substrates of animal origin, (2) morphological adaptations and (3) chemical adaptations.Species ofSptachnumand the entomophilous species ofTayloriaare restricted to the dung of herbivorous mammals. Species ofTetraplodongrow on skeletal remains, on antlers, on stomach pellets of predatory birds, or on dung, which contains both bone and hair. The entomophilous speciesAplodon wormskioldiigrows on corpses, on caribou (reindeer) dung, bones and antlers, on owl pellets, or on enriched gravel.Cultivation experiments indicate that protonema and shoots ofSplachnum sphaericumhave a greater tolerance for concentrated dung liquid than the control speciesPhyscomitrium pyrij'orme, Funaria hygrometricaandPohlia nutans. Tetraplodon mnioides, A. wormskioldiiandSplachnum vasculosumhave higher nitrogen contents in their tissues than do other arctic bryophytcs and the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium in the plant tissues ofT. mnioidesandA. wormskioldiireflect those of their substrata. The adaptation to grow on osmotically concentrated substrates confers a selective advantage upon these species.Morphological adaptations of the sporophyte are the enlarged, coloured neck (hypophysis), the coloured upper region of the seta, and the hygroscopic movements of the urn wall and peristome which help the spores to leave the urn. The small, thin‐walled spores are dispersed in clumps on the hairs of visiting flies.Chemical adaptations are the odours produced and released by the sporophyles. Several volatile compounds have been found in the urn and hypophysis of entomophilous species, volatile octane derivatives and organic acids such as acetic, propionic and butyric acids particularly in the hypophysis. Volatile compounds may be released through the many stomata of the hypophysis. The seta, the gametophyte and the substratum do not contain these compounds. Flies which are attracted to and visit speciesof Splachnumin Europe and North America includeScatophaga furcala,(Scatophagidae),Pyrellia cyanicolor, Myospila metida(Muscidae) andDelia platura(Anthomyidae). The most common visitors toTetraplodon mnioidesareDelia platuraand species of the Muscidae. Scatophagids have been found to benefit from a possible increase in copulatory success after visiting these plants.Entomophilly in the Splachnaceae can be regarded as chemical mimicry. Other organisms that mimic faecal/carrion odours to attract flies to disperse the spores include the macrofungusPhallus impudkus.Some species in the angiospcrm families Ramcsiaccae and Araceae, which arc pollinated by flies, produce odours resembling those found in the Splachnacea