IUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Island Invertebrates Specialist Group

Species

Back • Acrostira tenerifae Perez & López, 2005

Acrostira tenerifae Perez & López, 2005

Tenerife Stick Grasshopper

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Orthoptera
  • Family: Pamphagidae
EN Endangered
IUCN Red List Status:
  • EX
  • EW
  • CR
  • EN
  • VU
  • NT
  • LC
  • DD
  • NE

Countries of Occurrence:
Spain - Canaries

Archipelago(s):
Canaries

Download File Biodiversity Portal IUCN Portal

Assessor/s:
Hochkirch, A. & López, H.

Reviewer/s:
Odé, B. & García, M.

Contributor/s:
Jakobs, D. & Kranz, M.

Facilitators / Compilers/s:

Assessment Rationale:

The Tenerife Stick Grasshopper is only known from a small area on Tenerife with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 12 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km². It is unknown how the species may be influenced by ongoing human activities, particularly goat grazing. Projections of potential future volcanic activities suggest that the habitat of this species could be affected by future lava flows. There is only a single location, but no evidence for a continuing decline exists. As the number of mature individuals is estimated to be below 200, it is assessed as Endangered (EN).

Geographic Range:

The Tenerife Stick Grasshopper is endemic to the northwestern part of Tenerife and has a very small extent of occurrence (EOO = 12 km²). Its area of occupancy (AOO) is 8 km².

Regions:
Spain - Canaries
Extent of Occurrence (EOO):
12 (km2)
Area of Occupancy (AOO):
8 (km2)
Elevation Lower Limit:
330 (m)
Elevation Upper Limit:
1300 (m)
Biogeographic Realms:
Palearctic
Presence:
Extant
Origin:
Endemic Canaries
Seasonality:
Resident

Population:

Only one subpopulation exists, which seems to be very small. The estimated number of mature individuals is smaller than 200. The species is flightless and thus not able to colonise new areas. The population trend of the species is unknown.

Habitat and Ecology

The species occurs in Euphorbia shrubland. Its altitudinal range is 330 - 1,300 m.

Major Threat(s):

The species is threatened by future volcanic eruptions on Tenerife, as future lava flows have been projected to run close to the area in which this species occurs (Carracedo et al. 2007). The effects of grazing on this species need to be studied. Based on these threats, the species occurs only in a single location.

Conservation Actions

There are no specific conservation actions in place for this species. It occurs only in a very small area, which is part of the Parque Rural de Teno. Research on its population trend and the effects of current grazing activities on the species is needed. As the species has a very small population size, a monitoring programme should be implemented.