Dryside Rockshag Lichen
CR

Dryside Rockshag Lichen

Ephebe hispidula

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (c) Tomás Curtis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tomás Curtis

Overview

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

Mørk uldlav (Ephebe hispidula) faces severe threats from air pollution and acid rain, which directly damage its sensitive thallus structure and disrupt its photosynthetic processes. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and increasing temperature extremes that exceed the species' narrow tolerance range. Habitat loss through deforestation and urban development further reduces available substrate for this specialized lichen.

Threat summary

Habitat

This lichen species grows on the bark of deciduous and coniferous trees in humid, old-growth forests and well-established woodlands. It requires stable microclimatic conditions with consistent moisture levels and clean air quality, typically found in undisturbed forest environments.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Lichinaceae

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Metamelanea caesiella

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Lempholemma botryosumEN

Lempholemma botryosum

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lempholemma lichenVU

lempholemma lichen

Lempholemma radiatum

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heppia lichenEN

heppia lichen

Heppia lutosa

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Dryside Rockshag Lichen classified as Critically Endangered?
Dryside Rockshag Lichen 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. Mørk uldlav (Ephebe hispidula) faces severe threats from air pollution and acid rain, which directly damage its sensitive thallus structure and disrupt its photosynthetic processes. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and increasing temperature extremes that exceed the species' narrow tolerance range. Habitat loss through deforestation and urban development further reduces available substrate for this specialized lichen.
Where does Dryside Rockshag Lichen live?
Dryside Rockshag Lichen 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 Dryside Rockshag Lichen?
The main threats to Dryside Rockshag Lichen 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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