Lang's Short-tailed Blue
EN

Lang's Short-tailed Blue

Leptotes pirithous

UnknownLCEULCEU

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

Overview

Leptotes pirithous, commonly known as Lang's short-tailed blue or common zebra blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.

Lang's Short-tailed Blue faces significant population declines primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development across its Mediterranean range. Climate change is altering the distribution and phenology of its host plants, further threatening breeding success and population stability.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species can be found in southern Europe (Spain, France and Italy), along the Mediterranean coast, in Asia Minor up to the Himalayas, and in most of Africa and Madagascar.

Other threatened species in Lycaenidae

Adonis BlueVU

Adonis Blue

Lysandra bellargus

Unknown
Geranium ArgusVU

Geranium Argus

Eumedonia eumedon

Unknown
Spanish ArgusVU

Spanish Argus

Aricia morronensis

Unknown
Iolas BlueVU

Iolas Blue

Iolana iolas

Unknown

Threatened in Albania

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
Anthophore estivaleCR

Anthophore estivale

Anthophora aestivalis

Unknown
VU

Anthribus fasciatus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lang's Short-tailed Blue classified as Endangered?
Lang's Short-tailed Blue is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Lang's Short-tailed Blue faces significant population declines primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development across its Mediterranean range. Climate change is altering the distribution and phenology of its host plants, further threatening breeding success and population stability.
Where does Lang's Short-tailed Blue live?
Lang's Short-tailed Blue occurs in Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Austria, and Benin (plus 79 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lang's Short-tailed Blue?
The main threats to Lang's Short-tailed Blue 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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