Species

BackLeiostyla filicum Holyoak & Seddon, 1986

Leiostyla filicum Holyoak & Seddon, 1986

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum:
  • Class: Mollusca
  • Order: Gastropoda
  • Family: Lauriidae
VU Vulnerable
IUCN Red List Status:

Countries of Occurrence:
Portugal - Madeira

Archipelago(s):
Madeira

Assessor/s:
Seddon, M.B.

Reviewer/s:
Cameron, R., Groh, K., Cuttelod, A. & Neubert, E.

Contributor/s:

Facilitators / Compilers/s:


Assessment Rationale:

Seddon (2008) listed the species as IUCN Vulnerable D2 (version 3.1). This species is only known from two closely adjacent localities, however, the laurisilva forests are protected in the Parque Natural da Madeira and hence the habitats are no longer declining in quality as they did late last century. The species may well be present at other inaccessible sites in this steep-sided valley. The major threat is disturbance to the damp microclimate in these deep ravines, by extraction of water feeding the rivers or through increased frequency of drought events. The species was previously listed as Vu D2, and the status has not changed.

Geographic Range:

This species is endemic to Madeira, where it is known from two small tributary valleys on the north central part of the island (NMW collections and Coles collection) (Seddon 2008).

Regions:
Portugal - Madeira
Extent of Occurrence (EOO):
(km2)
Area of Occupancy (AOO):
6 (km2)
Elevation Lower Limit:
(m)
Elevation Upper Limit:
(m)
Biogeographic Realms:
Palearctic
Presence:
Extant
Origin:
Endemic Madeira
Seasonality:
Resident

Population:

There is no population trend data, however it is believed to be stable, based on the lack of disturbance of the habitats.

Habitat and Ecology

This species is found living on ferns or in the litter beneath ferns in moist places at intermediate elevations in the laurisilva zone (Seddon 2008). It is often found in the spray zone of large waterfalls.

Major Threat(s):

The major threat is disturbance to the damp microclimate in these deep ravines, by extraction of water feeding the rivers or through increased frequency of drought events.

Conservation Actions

This species is known from two closely adjacent localities, which lie in laurisilva forests that are protected in the Parque Natural da Madeira. No conservation action plan specifically for this species and habitat monitoring is recommended on the valley and the Caldeiro Verde, one site where the species is known.