|Scientific Name:||Gomphus lucasii|
|Species Authority:||Selys, 1849|
|Red List Category & Criteria:||Vulnerable A3c; C1 ver 3.1|
|Reviewer(s):||Samraoui, B. (Odonata Red List Authority) & Pollock, C.M. (IUCN Red List Unit)|
Gomphus lucasii is confined within an area of about 144,000 km² in the Tell Atlas in Algeria and Tunisia. Its occurrence in Morocco is expected but not yet confirmed in the easternmost part of the country, along the Algerian border. Most data from western Algeria are very old, where more data are required but surveys are difficult due to security reasons.
In Tunisia, some populations have experienced a strong decline in the last 10 years and several became extinct as a result of stream drying, mainly due to water extraction for irrigation purposes. Of the 17 localities known in Tunisia, only two are presently flourishing and at least one is now extinct.
In eastern Algeria, 13 populations were probably lost during the last 100 years and only three probably still exist. These are very threatened and are expected to disappear in short time because their habitats are under severe pressure.
The total population size based on known sites may be less than 2,500. However, more localities are likely to be discovered, so population size may be more than this. Apparently, no population reaches 250 imagos. It is reasonable to expect a decline of at least 10% over the next ten years due to more frequent summer drought, stream drying and pollution originating from domestic discharge, agricultural practices, irrigation, water harnessing, and demographic expansion [x3.1 in Algeria, x2.3 in Tunisia and x2.5 in Morocco from 1961 to 2003 (FAO 2004-2005)]. The species may even undergo declines of 30% or more over ten years.
It is listed as Vulnerable.
|Range Description:||Gomphus lucasii is a Maghrebian endemic, occurring in the Tell Atlas in Algeria and Tunisia. Records from Morocco are uncertain.|
|Range Map:||Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.|
|Population:||Thirty localities have been reported to be inhabited by this species, of which 11 records (from western and central Algeria) are very old and perhaps are now extinct.|
|Habitat and Ecology:||Streams in hilly and low mountainous areas, with up to 2.8 g of natural sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium sulphate (CaSO4).|
|Major Threat(s):||Water management for human use, water pollution, desiccation of streams due water extraction for irrigation, deforestation, overgrazing, and drought.|
|Conservation Actions:||Control of water pollution and reserves through policy-based actions. Research into population numbers and range, biology and ecology, habitat status, threats, conservation measures, and trends/monitoring of this species would be valuable. Habitat and site-based actions are also required.|
|Citation:||Boudot, J.-P. 2010. Gomphus lucasii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 02 September 2014.|