Sussex Emerald
VU

Sussex Emerald

Thalera fimbrialis

Unknown

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

Overview

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

The Sussex Emerald faces severe habitat loss due to coastal development and sea-level rise affecting its specialized chalk downland and coastal grassland habitats. Urban expansion and agricultural intensification have fragmented remaining populations, while climate change threatens the delicate balance of its calcareous grassland ecosystem. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from habitat degradation.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Sussex Emerald inhabits coastal chalk downlands and calcareous grasslands along the English Channel coast. It requires areas with wild carrot (Daucus carota) and other umbelliferous plants that serve as larval food sources in these specialized limestone-derived soils.

TERRESTRIAL· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Sussex Emerald classified as Vulnerable?
Sussex Emerald is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Sussex Emerald faces severe habitat loss due to coastal development and sea-level rise affecting its specialized chalk downland and coastal grassland habitats. Urban expansion and agricultural intensification have fragmented remaining populations, while climate change threatens the delicate balance of its calcareous grassland ecosystem. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from habitat degradation.
Where does Sussex Emerald live?
Sussex Emerald occurs in Åland Islands, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, and Belarus (plus 44 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sussex Emerald?
The main threats to Sussex Emerald 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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