Assessment Notes

Justification

Lecania vermispora is only known from three locations and its total Area of Occupancy is 8 km². Livestock grazing and/or climatic changes could quickly lead to the decline and extirpation of this species. Therefore, it is listed as Vulnerable under criterion D2.

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Geographic range

Lecania vermispora is known only from three sites on the off-shore island West Point Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) from collections made in 1968. This species was not found during recent surveys in 2015 of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (Fryday et al. 2019). However, the sites have not been revisited and there have not been any directed surveys for the species. Careful examination of ~10,000 collections from southern South America held in the herbarium at Michigan State University did not result in the discovery of any individuals of this species occurring on mainland South America (Fryday and Prather 2001). This thorough investigation supports the conclusion that L. vermispora is endemic to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

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Population and Trends

There are three reported subpopulations from collections made in 1968. No other subpopulations have been reported, and recent surveys did not relocate the species (Fryday et al. 2019). The total number of mature individuals is unknown, and the previously documented subpopulations may have been extirpated, although given the limited amount of surveying possible they are considered extant for this assessment. The current population trends are unknown.

Population Trend: Unknown

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Habitat and Ecology

Lecania vermispora occurs on the stems of native Hebe elliptica plants on West Point Island, a single off-shore island.

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Threats

An ongoing decrease in summer rainfall and an increase in sunlight as a result of climate change and ozone depletion may negatively impact lichen species throughout the islands (McAdam 2013). Lecania vermispora specifically is threatened by grazing and the destruction of native Hebe elliptica, which was once widespread on the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) but is now found on only a few offshore islands where it has escaped the effects of over grazing (Fryday et al. 2019).

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Conservation Actions

This species currently does not have a formal protected status. The two most important conservation actions needed to preserve this species are: 1) protection of the land on which it occurs, and 2) education of local land owners/citizens about the presence of this species in their area. Additionally, further research is needed to ascertain the current status and distribution of this species.

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Source and Citation

Fryday, A. 2020. Lecania vermispora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T176075946A177305925. Accessed on 22 November 2025.

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• Country occurrence