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Cunha's Brazilian Lizard

Placosoma cipoense

Unknown

Overview

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

Placosoma cipoense faces severe habitat degradation from mining activities and urban expansion within its restricted range in the Serra do Cipó region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species' specialized requirements for rocky outcrops and associated vegetation make it particularly vulnerable to quarrying operations and infrastructure development. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the microhabitat conditions essential for this endemic lizard's survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic lizard inhabits rocky outcrops, campos rupestres (rocky grasslands), and associated cerrado vegetation in the Serra do Cipó mountain range of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species requires specific microhabitat conditions found among quartzite formations and their surrounding vegetation communities at elevations between 900-1,400 meters.

Other threatened species in GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE

EN

Rodrigues' Microteeid

Calyptommatus nicterus

Unknown
EN

Lesser Microteiid

Calyptommatus sinebrachiatus

Unknown
EN

Marinussaurus curupira

Unknown
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Leposoma baturitensis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Cunha's Brazilian Lizard classified as Endangered?
Cunha's Brazilian Lizard is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Placosoma cipoense faces severe habitat degradation from mining activities and urban expansion within its restricted range in the Serra do Cipó region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species' specialized requirements for rocky outcrops and associated vegetation make it particularly vulnerable to quarrying operations and infrastructure development. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the microhabitat conditions essential for this endemic lizard's survival.
Where does Cunha's Brazilian Lizard live?
Cunha's Brazilian Lizard 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 Cunha's Brazilian Lizard?
The main threats to Cunha's Brazilian Lizard 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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