Large Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis polychloros
The large tortoiseshell or blackleg tortoiseshell is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
65
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_tortoiseshell
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Nymphalidae
Genus
Nymphalis
Large Tortoiseshell belongs to the family Nymphalidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The large tortoiseshell or blackleg tortoiseshell is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The Large Tortoiseshell butterfly has experienced severe population declines across its range due to habitat loss and fragmentation of woodland areas where its host plants grow. Climate change and changing woodland management practices have further reduced suitable breeding habitats, while the species' specific ecological requirements make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
The species is found in North Africa, southern and central Europe, Turkey, southern Russia, the central and southern Urals, Kazakhstan and the Himalayas. In Central Europe it occurs mainly in warmer regions and has become generally rare, while populations remain more numerous in parts of the Mediterranean region and the southern Alps. Large tortoiseshells inhabit open woodland, woodland edges...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Large Tortoiseshell butterfly has experienced severe population declines across its range due to habitat loss and fragmentation of woodland areas where its host plants grow. Climate change and changing woodland management practices have further reduced suitable breeding habitats, while the species' specific ecological requirements make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Loss of host plant availability
Woodland management changes
Climate change impacts
Reduced woodland connectivity
Found in 65 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
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
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/large-tortoiseshell