Greek Red Damsel
CR

Greek Red Damsel

Pyrrhosoma elisabethae

DecliningCREUCREU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhosoma_elisabethae

Overview

Pyrrhosoma elisabethae, the Greek red damselfly, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The damselfly finds its habitat in rivers. It is found in Albania and Greece. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Pyrrhosoma elisabethae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. Water pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial activities degrades the pristine aquatic environments essential for larval development. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns that could dry up critical breeding pools and streams.

Threat summary

Habitat

This damselfly species inhabits clean, slow-flowing streams and small rivers with abundant aquatic vegetation in forested areas. The larvae require well-oxygenated water with stable temperatures and minimal pollution levels for successful development.

Forest· majorWetlands (inland)· major

Conservation measures underway

Habitat & natural process restorationSpecies managementSpecies recovery

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Greek Red Damsel classified as Critically Endangered?
Greek Red Damsel 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. Pyrrhosoma elisabethae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. Water pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial activities degrades the pristine aquatic environments essential for larval development. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns that could dry up critical breeding pools and streams.
Where does Greek Red Damsel live?
Greek Red Damsel occurs in Albania, and Greece. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Greek Red Damsel?
The main threats to Greek Red Damsel are 11.1, 2.1, 7.2, and 9.3.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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