Yellow-spotted Whiteface
CR

Yellow-spotted Whiteface

Leucorrhinia pectoralis

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_white-faced_darter

Overview

The large white-faced darter or yellow-spotted whiteface is a small dragonfly belonging to the genus Leucorrhinia in the family Libellulidae.

The Yellow-spotted Whiteface faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat destruction and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. Climate change and water pollution further threaten the delicate aquatic ecosystems this dragonfly depends on for reproduction and larval development, while its limited dispersal ability makes populations particularly vulnerable to local extinctions.

Threat summary

Habitat

Inhabits shallow, acidic bog pools, fens, and marshy areas with emergent vegetation, particularly favoring small water bodies with Sphagnum moss and sedge communities. Requires clean, oligotrophic waters with stable water levels for successful larval development.

FRESHWATER· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Libellulidae

Keeled SkimmerVU

Keeled Skimmer

Orthetrum coerulescens

Unknown
Yellow-winged DarterVU

Yellow-winged Darter

Sympetrum flaveolum

Unknown
Black-tailed SkimmerVU

Black-tailed Skimmer

Orthetrum cancellatum

Unknown
Small WhitefaceVU

Small Whiteface

Leucorrhinia dubia

Unknown

Threatened in Armenia

Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
Asian HoubaraVU

Asian Houbara

Chlamydotis macqueenii

Declining
Blind SnailVU

Blind Snail

Cecilioides acicula

Unknown
EN

Zangezurian Cornflower

Psephellus zangezuri

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Yellow-spotted Whiteface classified as Critically Endangered?
Yellow-spotted Whiteface 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 Yellow-spotted Whiteface faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat destruction and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. Climate change and water pollution further threaten the delicate aquatic ecosystems this dragonfly depends on for reproduction and larval development, while its limited dispersal ability makes populations particularly vulnerable to local extinctions.
Where does Yellow-spotted Whiteface live?
Yellow-spotted Whiteface occurs in Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Croatia (plus 30 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 Yellow-spotted Whiteface?
The main threats to Yellow-spotted Whiteface 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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