Polyommatus humedasae
CR

Polyommatus humedasae

DecliningENEUENEU

Photo: (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning

Overview

The Piedmont anomalous blue is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to Italy, where it is known mostly from the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps. It is mainly found on altitudes of 800 to 1,000 meters but at times up to 1,600 meters.

Polyommatus humedasae faces severe threats from habitat degradation in its extremely limited range in the Alborz Mountains of Iran. Agricultural expansion and overgrazing by livestock have significantly reduced the quality of its alpine meadow habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the delicate montane ecosystem conditions this butterfly depends on for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered butterfly inhabits high-altitude alpine meadows and grasslands in the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran, typically found at elevations above 2,000 meters. It requires pristine montane grasslands with specific host plants and is highly sensitive to habitat disturbance.

Rocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies managementSpecies recoveryLegislation

Other threatened species in LYCAENIDAE

EN

Black-Spotted Blue

Orachrysops mijburghi

Unknown
EN

Royal Blue

Orachrysops regalis

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Paralucia spiniferaEN

Paralucia spinifera

Unknown
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Mesopotamian Blue

Polyommatus dama

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Polyommatus humedasae classified as Critically Endangered?
Polyommatus humedasae 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. Polyommatus humedasae faces severe threats from habitat degradation in its extremely limited range in the Alborz Mountains of Iran. Agricultural expansion and overgrazing by livestock have significantly reduced the quality of its alpine meadow habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the delicate montane ecosystem conditions this butterfly depends on for survival.
Where does Polyommatus humedasae live?
Polyommatus humedasae 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 Polyommatus humedasae?
The main threats to Polyommatus humedasae are 11.1, 11.2, 5.3, and 7.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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