Marbled Skipper
Carcharodus lavatherae
Muschampia lavatherae, the marbled skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the Rhine Rift Valley in central Germany up to North Africa and from south-eastern France up to Anatolia.
33
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muschampia_lavatherae
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Hesperiidae
Genus
Carcharodus
Marbled Skipper belongs to the family Hesperiidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Muschampia lavatherae, the marbled skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the Rhine Rift Valley in central Germany up to North Africa and from south-eastern France up to Anatolia.
The Marbled Skipper faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized Mediterranean scrubland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in traditional land management practices have fragmented and destroyed the warm, rocky slopes with sparse vegetation that this species requires for survival.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Marbled Skipper faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized Mediterranean scrubland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in traditional land management practices have fragmented and destroyed the warm, rocky slopes with sparse vegetation that this species requires for survival.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Urban development and infrastructure
Climate change impacts on Mediterranean habitats
Loss of traditional land management
Found in 33 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 | NTNear Threatened | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | NTNear Threatened | 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). Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/marbled-skipper