Scarce Large Blue
CR

Scarce Large Blue

Phengaris teleius

UnknownVUEUVUEU

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

Overview

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

The Scarce Large Blue faces severe population declines across its range due to habitat destruction and the loss of its highly specialized ecological requirements. This butterfly depends on specific host plants and ant species for its complex lifecycle, making it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes and fragmentation of grassland habitats.

Threat summary

Habitat

Flower-rich grasslands, meadows, and marsh edges where the host plant Sanguisorba officinalis (Great Burnet) grows abundantly. Requires the presence of specific Myrmica ant species that adopt and care for the butterfly larvae in their underground nests.

Other threatened species in Lycaenidae

Adonis BlueVU

Adonis Blue

Lysandra bellargus

Unknown
Geranium ArgusVU

Geranium Argus

Eumedonia eumedon

Unknown
Spanish ArgusVU

Spanish Argus

Aricia morronensis

Unknown
Iolas BlueVU

Iolas Blue

Iolana iolas

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Scarce Large Blue classified as Critically Endangered?
Scarce Large Blue 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. The Scarce Large Blue faces severe population declines across its range due to habitat destruction and the loss of its highly specialized ecological requirements. This butterfly depends on specific host plants and ant species for its complex lifecycle, making it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes and fragmentation of grassland habitats.
Where does Scarce Large Blue live?
Scarce Large Blue 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 Scarce Large Blue?
The main threats to Scarce Large Blue 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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