EN

Lesser Microteiid

Calyptommatus sinebrachiatus

Unknown

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Calyptommatus sinebrachiatus faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development in Brazil's Caatinga region. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with mining activities and infrastructure development fragmenting its already restricted sandy soil habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could affect the soil moisture conditions essential for this fossorial lizard's survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This fossorial lizard inhabits sandy soils in the Caatinga dry forest ecosystem of northeastern Brazil. It requires loose, well-drained sandy substrates that allow for burrowing behavior in areas with sparse vegetation cover.

Other threatened species in GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE

EN

Rodrigues' Microteeid

Calyptommatus nicterus

Unknown
EN

Marinussaurus curupira

Unknown
EN

Leposoma baturitensis

Unknown
VU

Shiny Lightbulb Lizard

Andinosaura laevis

Unknown

Threatened in Mauritius

VU

Trindade Petrel

Pterodroma arminjoniana

Stable
EN

Acropora mossambica

Declining
Humped BladderwortCR

Humped Bladderwort

Utricularia gibba

Unknown
Telfair's SkinkVU

Telfair's Skink

Leiolopisma telfairii

Increasing

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lesser Microteiid classified as Endangered?
Lesser Microteiid 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. Calyptommatus sinebrachiatus faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development in Brazil's Caatinga region. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with mining activities and infrastructure development fragmenting its already restricted sandy soil habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could affect the soil moisture conditions essential for this fossorial lizard's survival.
Where does Lesser Microteiid live?
Lesser Microteiid occurs in Mauritius. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lesser Microteiid?
The main threats to Lesser Microteiid 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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