Lopheros rubens
CR

Lopheros rubens

Local name: Lyce fâché

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (c) Иван Тисленко, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Иван Тисленко

Overview

The Lyce fâché (Lopheros rubens) is a distinctive reddish-brown lycaenid butterfly characterized by its vibrant copper-colored wings with intricate dark spotting patterns. This small but ecologically important species serves as a pollinator for several endemic flowering plants in its restricted range and plays a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of its specialized ecosystem.

Lopheros rubens faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. The species' specialized habitat requirements and small population size make it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbance.

Threat summary

Habitat

Inhabits specialized microhabitats within temperate deciduous forests, particularly areas with specific soil chemistry and moisture conditions between 200-800m elevation. Requires undisturbed forest floor environments with particular substrate compositions that support its unique ecological niche.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lyce fâché classified as Critically Endangered?
Lyce fâché 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. Lopheros rubens faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. The species' specialized habitat requirements and small population size make it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbance.
Where does Lyce fâché live?
Lyce fâché occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lyce fâché?
The main threats to Lyce fâché 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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