Assessment Rationale:

The species is endemic to the Madeiran Islands, where it was originally found in 1878 on Deserta Grande and Bugio (Desertas Islands) and on the summit of Pico Branco. It has not been found at the original locations during recent surveys. As the species has not been found again since the 19th century, further research is needed to relocate the species and to define its distribution. At present, it is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).

Geographic Range:

The species is considered to be endemic to the Madeiran Islands, where it was originally found in the 19th century on Deserta Grande and Bugio (Desertas Islands) and on Porto Santo Island (on the summit of Pico Branco) (Wollaston 1878, Seddon 2008). Extensive surveys on the Desertas Islands since 2008 have not refound the species, whilst surveys at the other known locality, Pico Branco, although less scrutinized during the last decade, have also failed to find the species (D. Teixeira pers. comm. 2017). 

Population:

This species has not been refound since it was described in the 19th century. 

Habitat and Ecology

The species was found on exposed submaritime cliffs on the Desertas and Pico Branco (Wollaston 1878). 

Major Threat(s):

The main threats to the species are erosion and landslides on cliff areas and grazing by goats, which could potentially conduct to habitat degradation and loss. Climate change, in a form of continuous droughts for large periods of time, could also significantly affect the population of the species. Predation by invasive species such as mice (Mus musculus) is also one of the major threats to the species survival.

Conservation Actions

The historical localities of this species are within two Natura 2000 SAC: Pico Branco and Desertas islands