List of vulnerable arthropods explained

In July 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 1080 vulnerable arthropod species.[1] Of all evaluated arthropod species, 11% are listed as vulnerable. The IUCN also lists 29 arthropod subspecies as vulnerable.

No subpopulations of arthropods have been evaluated by the IUCN.

For a species to be assessed as vulnerable to extinction the best available evidence must meet quantitative criteria set by the IUCN designed to reflect "a high risk of extinction in the wild". Endangered and critically endangered species also meet the quantitative criteria of vulnerable species, and are listed separately. See: List of endangered arthropods, List of critically endangered arthropods. Vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species are collectively referred to as threatened species by the IUCN.

Additionally 2875 arthropod species (30% of those evaluated) are listed as data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information for a full assessment of conservation status. As these species typically have small distributions and/or populations, they are intrinsically likely to be threatened, according to the IUCN.[2] While the category of data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made for the taxa, the IUCN notes that it may be appropriate to give them "the same degree of attention as threatened taxa, at least until their status can be assessed".[3]

This is a complete list of vulnerable arthropod species and subspecies as evaluated by the IUCN.

Arachnids

There are 47 arachnid species assessed as vulnerable.

Other arachnid species

Maxillopoda

Maxillopoda includes barnacles, copepods and a number of related animals. There are 71 species in the class Maxillopoda assessed as vulnerable.

Calanoida

There are 47 species in the order Calanoida assessed as vulnerable.

Temorids

Harpacticoida

There are 18 species in the order Harpacticoida assessed as vulnerable.

Darcythompsoniids

Ameirids

Canthocamptids

Malacostracans

Malacostraca includes crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill, woodlice, and many others. There are 307 malacostracan species and 14 malacostracan subspecies assessed as vulnerable.

Isopods

SpeciesSubspecies

Amphipods

There are 56 amphipod species and four amphipod subspecies assessed as vulnerable.

Hadziids

Subspecies

Paramelitids

Niphargids

SpeciesSubspecies

Decapods

There are 224 decapod species and seven decapod subspecies assessed as vulnerable.

Cambarids

SpeciesSubspecies

Other decapod species

Insects

There are 608 insect species and 15 insect subspecies assessed as vulnerable.

Plecoptera

Notoptera

Orthoptera

There are 137 species in the order Orthoptera assessed as vulnerable.

Other Orthoptera species

Hymenoptera

There are 155 species in the order Hymenoptera assessed as vulnerable.

Melittids

Megachilids

Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera comprises moths and butterflies. There are 128 species and ten subspecies in the order Lepidoptera assessed as vulnerable.

Lasiocampids

Nymphalids

SpeciesSubspecies

Skippers

Pierids

Beetles

There are 50 beetle species assessed as vulnerable.

Other beetle species

Odonata

Odonata includes dragonflies and damselflies. There are 129 species and five subspecies in the order Odonata assessed as vulnerable.

Gomphids

SpeciesSubspecies

Coenagrionids

SpeciesSubspecies

Other Odonata species

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: IUCN Red List version 2016.1. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . 4 July 2016.
  2. Web site: Limitations of the Data. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . 11 January 2016.
  3. Web site: 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . 11 January 2016.