Diacheopsis metallica described by Charles Meylan in 1930. This species recognized from others Diacheopsis by brown capillitium with hyaline ends.

Diacheopsis metallica is one of the nivicolous myxomycetes, found on both living and dead plant material next to melting snow patches in mountainous habitats, typically where there is high insolation in spring. In the nivicolous habitat, snow cover prevents abrupt soil temperature changes between night and day, provides free water and a ground-level microclimate beneath or near the melting snow favourable for development of vegetative and fruiting stages. This species is threatened by climate change. The strong association between nivicolous myxomycetes and melting snow patches suggests that their distribution is likely to be strongly and negatively affected by global warming as winter snow cover diminishes in mountain regions. This is likely to result in these species gradually moving to higher altitudes and then becoming isolated with no opportunity to move on stones and rocks in higher altitudes without vegetation.

It has been proposed as NT (Near Threatened) Krivomaz, Michaud & Minter (2010). However, during the workshop at Ekenäs in Feb 2015, its present preliminary status was found to be DD or NE as available information about the species ecology, distribution and abundance (i.e. population status) need to be interpreted in terms of reported or potential decline (probably using habitat change) and with an interpretation of likely average generation time (as three generations are used as the period over which population status is compared).

ASIA: Japan, Russia (Respublika Buryatia, Sverdlovskaya oblast). AUSTRALASIA: New Zealand. EUROPE: Austria, France, Russia (Perm oblast), Switzerland. NORTH AMERICA: Canada (British Columbia), USA (California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington). Diacheopsis metallica has been recorded at altitudes varying from 60 to 4000 m above mean sea level, with most between 1000 and 2000 m.

In Europe this species found in 4 countries (Austria, France, Russia, Switzerland) and also in Canada, Japan, USA.
For the moment the fluctuation of population for this species depending level of snow and temperature each year. But global warming could exstend of occurense for this nivicolous species.

Diacheopsis metallica is one of the nivicolous or snowline myxomycetes, found on both living and dead plant material next to melting snow patches in mountainous habitats, typically where there is high insolation in spring. In the nivicolous habitat, snow cover prevents abrupt soil temperature changes between night and day, provides free water and a ground-level microclimate beneath or near the melting snow favourable for development of vegetative and fruiting stages. The ecological rôle played by myxomycetes remains poorly understood. In general, these organisms feeding only during their vegetative (also called plasmodial) state, and not feeding when in their fruiting state. They may be encountered on living plant material (e.g. leaves and twigs), in both vegetative and fruiting states, but in such cases the plant material is only a substratum, not a source of nutrition. When myxomycetes are found in their vegetative state specifically on dead plant material, the plant material may be both a substratum and a source of nutrition. It is also possible that in their vegetative state, myxomycetes feed on dead animal remains, living and dead bacteria, fungal hyphae and spores, and other organic material. Nothing is known about interactions between the present species and other organisms, but its associated organisms, ecological preferences and geographical distribution suggest that, in interactions, it is similar to this general picture.

This species is threatened by climate change. The strong association between nivicolous myxomycetes and melting snow patches suggests that their distribution is likely to be strongly and negatively affected by global warming as winter snow cover diminishes in mountain regions. This is likely to result in these species gradually moving to higher altitudes and then becoming isolated at the tops of high mountains with no opportunity to move to higher latitudes.

In situ. There are no known conservation plans or activities specifically prepared for this species. Ex situ. No preserved living strains of this species are listed by the World Federation of Culture Collections [http://wdcm.nig.ac.jp/wfcc/datacenter.html].

Search of new localities, clarifying of ecological preferences and threats; determination of the optimal way of the protection and managment of habitat for this species.

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