MAIISG

Assessment Rationale:

Atheta azorica is an endemic species from Azores (Azores, Portugal) (Borges et al., 2010) for which there is no precise indication of island of occurrence.  Possibly has a very small extent of occurrence (EOO = 4 km²) and area of occupancy (AOO = 4 km²).  Based upon the unknown distribution and ecology is assessed as Data Deficient.

Geographic Range:

Atheta azorica was described for Azores but without indication of the island of occurrence. It was never found after its description and consequently there is no precise indication of its location.

Population:

Unknown.

Habitat and Ecology

This is a predator species originally associated with native forest, but with unknown current distribution and ecology.

Major Threat(s):

In the past, the species has probably strongly declined due to changes in habitat size and quality, mostly creation of pastures (Triantis et al. 2010). One of the most important ongoing threat to this species is the managment of pulp plantations of Cryptomeria japonica and the spread of invasive plants namely Hedychium gardnerianum since are changing the habitat structure, namely decreasing the cover of bryophytes and ferns in the soil and promoting the spread of other plants. Based on Ferreira et al. (2016) the habitat will further decline as a consequence of climate change (increasing number of droughts and habitat shifting & alteration).

Conservation Actions

The species is not protected by regional law. Further research is needed into its ecology and life history in order to find extant specimens.