Dracula pholeodytes
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Dracula pholeodytes faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat conversion in Ecuador's cloud forests, where its extremely limited range makes it vulnerable to any disturbance. Mining activities and agricultural expansion continue to fragment the remaining montane forest patches. The species' specialized epiphytic lifestyle and narrow altitudinal requirements make it particularly susceptible to climate change impacts on cloud forest ecosystems.
Habitat
This orchid species is endemic to the cloud forests of Ecuador, growing as an epiphyte on moss-covered trees at elevations between 1,800-2,400 meters. It requires the consistently humid, cool conditions characteristic of Andean cloud forest ecosystems.