IUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Island Invertebrates Specialist Group

Species

Back • Sphingonotus guanchus (Johnsen, 1985)

Sphingonotus guanchus (Johnsen, 1985)

Gran Canaria Sand Grasshopper

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Family: Acrididae
LC Least Concern
IUCN Red List Status:
  • EX
  • EW
  • CR
  • EN
  • VU
  • NT
  • LC
  • DD
  • NE

Countries of Occurrence:
Spain - Canaries

Archipelago(s):
Canaries

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Assessor/s:
Hochkirch, A.

Reviewer/s:
Odé, B. & García, M.

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

Facilitators / Compilers/s:

Assessment Rationale:

The Gran Canaria Sand Grasshopper is endemic to Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain), where it is quite widespread. A recent survey has shown that the species is more common than previously thought. Its habitat is relatively little affected by humans, except for touristic development in the south of the island. Even though its extent of occurrence (EOO) and its area of occupancy (AOO) are small, the population is not severely fragmented and probably also not decreasing. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern (LC).

Geographic Range:

The Gran Canaria Sand Grasshopper is endemic to Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain), where it occurs in the centre, western and southern coast of the island (Hochkirch and Husemann 2008). Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is c. 1,100 km², whereas its known area of occupancy (AOO) is c. 200 km², with a maximum estimate of 500 km².

Regions:
Spain - Canaries
Extent of Occurrence (EOO):
1100 (km2)
Area of Occupancy (AOO):
200-500 (km2)
Elevation Lower Limit:
30 (m)
Elevation Upper Limit:
1710 (m)
Biogeographic Realms:
Paleartic
Presence:
Extant
Origin:
Endemic Canaries
Seasonality:
Resident

Population:

Sphingonotus guanchus usually has relatively small subpopulations. A recent survey (unpublished data, D. Margaritis pers. comm. 2015) has shown that the species is more common than previously thought. The population is not severely fragmented and probably also not decreasing, although its overall population trend is unknown.

Habitat and Ecology

This species occurs in dry open habitats with sparse vegetation, particularly on rocky ground. Its altitude range is 30 - 1,710 m.

Major Threat(s):

The species might be locally affected by touristic development. Furthermore, geological events such as landslides may threaten this species.

Conservation Actions

There are no specific conservation actions in place for this species, although it occurs in some protected areas throughout its range. Little information exists concerning the status of subpopulations, and more research into its population trend is needed.