CR

Parathesis zuliana

Declining

Overview

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

Parathesis zuliana faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and habitat fragmentation in the Venezuelan Andes, where its cloud forest habitat is being cleared for agriculture and human settlement. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized habitat destruction. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations where less area is available.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic Venezuelan plant inhabits montane cloud forests in the Cordillera de Mérida, typically occurring at elevations between 1,800-2,400 meters. It requires the consistently humid conditions and frequent fog characteristic of these specialized Andean ecosystems.

Other threatened species in PRIMULACEAE

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Bonellia loeflingii

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Ardisia breedlovei

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Ardisia rarescens

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Geissanthus lehmannii

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Helena's Marsupial Frog

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VU

Cavendishia macrocephala

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Cavendishia sessiliflora

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Macleania crassa

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Parathesis zuliana classified as Critically Endangered?
Parathesis zuliana 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. Parathesis zuliana faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and habitat fragmentation in the Venezuelan Andes, where its cloud forest habitat is being cleared for agriculture and human settlement. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized habitat destruction. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations where less area is available.
Where does Parathesis zuliana live?
Parathesis zuliana occurs in Colombia, and Venezuela. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Parathesis zuliana?
The main threats to Parathesis zuliana 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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