MAIISG

Assessment Rationale:

This species is restricted to the Sete Cidades volcanic complex, on the western tip of the São Miguel island. It has an Extent of occurrence of less than 100 km² and an Area of occupancy of less than 100 km². It is very rare and is threatened by the fragmentation of its habitat. It occurs in forested ravines and its population is now considered to be severely fragmented. It is therefore assessed as Endangered (EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)).

Geographic Range:

L.caldeirarum is only found on São Miguel island, Azores.

Population:

Restricted to the Sete Cidades volcanic complex, on the western tip of the São Miguel island. Morelet (1860) stated that this species was very rare; Backhuys (1975) did not find any specimens. Data resulting from a survey (A. Martins pers. comm. 2010) showed that it is indeed very rare and that it lives around the crater of Sete Cidades, from about 500 m (rim of the crater) to about 150 m (Candelária, north 37º 49' 56"; west 025º 49' 43").

Habitat and Ecology

Leptaxis caldeirarum lives in secondarily forested areas and native vegetation, where it is extremely rare. In secondarily forested areas, it was collected near Mosteiros (north 37º 52' 31"; west 025º 49' 28"; 240 m) and Candelária (north 37º 49' 56"; west 025º 49' 43"; 150 m), two separate ravines descending from outside the crater to the sea. There is no reliable information on the distribution of the species amidst native vegetation, except that it is extremely rare.

Major Threat(s):

There is no use or trade information for this species.

Conservation Actions

There are no conservation actions in place for this species. It is recommended that the remaining natural habitat surrounding the outside of the crater be protected from further clearance by human activities.