CR

Arthonia obscurella

Unknown

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Arthonia obscurella faces severe threats from habitat degradation and air pollution affecting its specialized lichen substrates. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with urban development and industrial emissions posing the greatest risks to remaining populations. Climate change may further stress this sensitive lichen through altered precipitation patterns and temperature fluctuations that disrupt its delicate ecological balance.

Threat summary

Habitat

Arthonia obscurella is a crustose lichen species that grows on the bark of specific tree species in temperate forests and woodland edges. It requires particular microclimate conditions with stable humidity and minimal air pollution to establish and maintain viable populations.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Arthonia obscurella classified as Critically Endangered?
Arthonia obscurella is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Arthonia obscurella faces severe threats from habitat degradation and air pollution affecting its specialized lichen substrates. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with urban development and industrial emissions posing the greatest risks to remaining populations. Climate change may further stress this sensitive lichen through altered precipitation patterns and temperature fluctuations that disrupt its delicate ecological balance.
Where does Arthonia obscurella live?
Arthonia obscurella occurs in Colombia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Arthonia obscurella?
The main threats to Arthonia obscurella are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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