Critoniopsis tungurahuae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Critoniopsis tungurahuae faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in Ecuador's montane regions, which directly destroys its specialized cloud forest habitat. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the remaining forest patches where this endemic species occurs. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations beyond the species' current range.
Habitat
This species inhabits cloud forests and humid montane forests in the Ecuadorian Andes, typically occurring at elevations between 2,000-3,500 meters. It requires the persistent moisture and fog characteristic of these high-altitude ecosystems, often growing in areas with frequent cloud cover and high humidity.