Rio Abajo spleenwort
Asplenium corderoanum
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: (c) Alcides L. Morales-Pérez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alcides L. Morales-Pérez
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Polypodiopsida
Order
Polypodiales
Family
Aspleniaceae
Genus
Asplenium
Rio Abajo spleenwort belongs to the family Aspleniaceae, order Polypodiales, within the Polypodiopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Rio Abajo spleenwort faces severe threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development in Puerto Rico's limestone karst regions. Its extremely limited distribution and small population size make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbances. The species' specialized habitat requirements and slow reproductive rate further compound its risk of extinction.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This endemic fern species inhabits shaded limestone cliffs, caves, and rocky crevices in the karst regions of northern Puerto Rico, typically in humid tropical forests with consistent moisture levels. It grows in specialized microhabitats on calcareous substrates where it can anchor in rock fissures and benefit from filtered light conditions.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Rio Abajo spleenwort faces severe threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development in Puerto Rico's limestone karst regions. Its extremely limited distribution and small population size make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbances. The species' specialized habitat requirements and slow reproductive rate further compound its risk of extinction.
Agricultural expansion and land conversion
Extremely small population size and limited distribution
Habitat loss and fragmentation from deforestation
Urban development and infrastructure projects
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Rio Abajo spleenwort (Asplenium corderoanum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/rio-abajo-spleenwort