Lycaena ottomana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Lycaena ottomana faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat degradation from agricultural intensification and urban development across its limited Mediterranean range. Overgrazing by livestock has significantly reduced the quality of grassland habitats where its host plants occur. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns affecting the butterfly's breeding cycles and host plant availability.
Habitat
This butterfly inhabits Mediterranean grasslands, scrublands, and open woodland edges at elevations typically between 500-1500 meters. It requires areas with abundant flowering plants for nectar sources and specific host plants from the Rumex genus for larval development.
