Glasswort case-bearer
Coleophora salicorniae
Coleophora salicorniae is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in most of Europe, including the Mediterranean islands and Cyprus.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleophora_salicorniae
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Coleophoridae
Genus
Coleophora
Glasswort case-bearer belongs to the family Coleophoridae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Coleophora salicorniae is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in most of Europe, including the Mediterranean islands and Cyprus. It is also known from central Asia, Iran and the Canary Islands. It occurs in desert biotopes and saltmarshes.
The Glasswort case-bearer is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of coastal saltmarsh ecosystems where its host plant, glasswort (Salicornia species), grows. Coastal development, sea-level rise, and changes in saltmarsh management have severely reduced the availability of suitable breeding habitat for this highly specialized moth species.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Glasswort case-bearer is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of coastal saltmarsh ecosystems where its host plant, glasswort (Salicornia species), grows. Coastal development, sea-level rise, and changes in saltmarsh management have severely reduced the availability of suitable breeding habitat for this highly specialized moth species.
Coastal habitat loss and fragmentation
Host plant decline (Salicornia species)
Sea-level rise and coastal squeeze
Changes in saltmarsh management practices
Small population size and genetic bottlenecks
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Glasswort case-bearer (Coleophora salicorniae). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/glasswort-case-bearer