Abstract
Principal component and canonical variate analyses were used to investigate the variation in twenty characters in 298 females and 207 males of the Onychiums amatus group from twenty‐five samples collected at fourteen sites in England and Wales. These demonstrate the presence of four morphologically distinct groups which are recognized as species. The species represent aimatus (Tullberg) (=daviesi Bagnall, synn.; waterstoni Bagnall), humatus Gisin, aurantiacus (Ridley) (=magnicomis Bagnall, synn.; flavidulus Bagnall; latus Gisin) and quadriocellatus Gisin. A key is provided for their recognition, although it is suggested that humatus may be an infra‐specific form of armatus and quadriocellatus may be an infra‐specific form of aurantiacus.

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