Pilosocereus diersianus
CR

Pilosocereus diersianus

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilosocereus_diersianus

Overview

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

Pilosocereus diersianus faces severe threats from urban expansion and agricultural development across its extremely limited range in northeastern Brazil. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while collection pressure for the horticultural trade has further reduced wild populations. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat through altered precipitation patterns in its already arid habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

This columnar cactus is endemic to the Caatinga dry forest ecosystem of northeastern Brazil, specifically occurring in rocky outcrops and sandy soils of semi-arid scrublands. It thrives in areas with well-drained substrates and seasonal rainfall patterns typical of the Brazilian dry forest biome.

Rocky areas· major

Other threatened species in CACTACEAE

EN

Turbinicarpus horripilus

Declining
CR

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining
EN

Opuntia pachyrrhiza

Declining
EN

Opuntia megarrhiza

Declining

Threatened in Brazil

Striped SmoothhoundCR

Striped Smoothhound

Mustelus fasciatus

Declining
VU

Mussismilia hispida

Declining
VU

Myrcia carioca

Declining
Brasilia TapaculoEN

Brasilia Tapaculo

Scytalopus novacapitalis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Pilosocereus diersianus classified as Critically Endangered?
Pilosocereus diersianus 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. Pilosocereus diersianus faces severe threats from urban expansion and agricultural development across its extremely limited range in northeastern Brazil. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while collection pressure for the horticultural trade has further reduced wild populations. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat through altered precipitation patterns in its already arid habitat.
Where does Pilosocereus diersianus live?
Pilosocereus diersianus occurs in Brazil. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Pilosocereus diersianus?
The main threats to Pilosocereus diersianus 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.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.