Anathallis tigridens EN Taxonomic Authority: (Loefgr.) Luer & Toscano Global Assessment Regional Assessment Region: Global Endemic to region Synonyms Common names Panmorphia tigridens (Loefgr.) Luer THE TIGER TOOTHED PL English Pleurothallis tigridens Loefgr. Specklinia tigridens (Loefgr.) Luer Upper Level Taxonomy Kingdom: PLANTAE Phylum: TRACHEOPHYTA Class: LILIOPSIDA Order: ORCHIDALES Family: ORCHIDACEAE Lower Level Taxonomy Rank: Infra- rank name: Plant Hybrid Subpopulation: Authority: Anathallis tigridens (Loefgr.) Luer & Toscano Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 115: 260 (2009), according to the Monocot Checklist is distributed in Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo but accroding to the Lista do Brasil it is only found in Rio de Janeiro and appears as A. tigridens (Loefgr.) F.Barros & Barberena Rodriguésia 61(1): 127-131. 2010. General Information Distribution A. tigridens is a little known epiphytic orchid, which is reported to occur in the states of Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro (Passamani and Nicoletti 2004). Range Size Elevation Biogeographic Realm Area of Occupancy: <500 Upper limit: 700 Afrotropical Extent of Occurrence: <5000 Lower limit: 300 Antarctic Map Status: Depth Australasian Upper limit: Neotropical Lower limit: Oceanian Depth Zones Palearctic Shallow photic Bathyl Hadal Indomalayan Photic Abyssal Nearctic Population A. tigridens is only known from 2 collections and appears to be very rare. It is listed as Critically Endangered in Espirito Santo (Passamani and Nicoletti 2004). The size and dynamics of the population are unknown. Total Population Size Minimum Population Size: Maximum Population Size: Habitat and Ecology The type of habitat where A. tigridens was collected is unknown. Anathallis species are pseudobulb epiphytes normally found in dense ombrophilous primary and need high humidity (Miller and Warren 1996). The taxon was collected within the Serra do mar coastal forests and Bahia coastal forests at ca 300 and 700 m of altitude (Specimen data, GIS data). System Movement pattern Crop Wild Relative Terrestrial Freshwater Nomadic Congregatory/Dispersive Is the species a wild relative of a crop? Marine Migratory Altitudinally migrant Growth From Definition Epiphyte Plants growing on other plants, but not parasitic Forb or Herb Biennial or perennial herbacaeous plant, also termed a Hemicryptophyte Threats Epiphytes have experienced dramatic population decreases mainly because of habitat loss and extraction activities, which have driven many species close to extinction (Mondragon et al. 2006). Since the 16th century the Atlantic rainforest- a biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al. 2000)-has suffered from uninterrupted deforestation and has been reduced to 8% of its original area. Remains are mostly dissected in tiny and widely separated forest fragments. The forests of coastal Bahia are considered among the more endangered habitats on Earth because they have been reduced by 95%, while the Serra do Mar coastal forests have been reduced by at least 50%. At present, forest conversion into pasture is occurring at alarming rates stimulated by the economic crash of cocoa plantations. Other threats to epiphytic orchids in the region include urban development, tourism, the harvesting of firewood, illegal logging, plant collecting, and invasion by alien species, air pollution from adjacent factories and residential and fires. Forest fragmentation directly threaten epiphytic orchids through the loss of porophytes, pollinators, increased dessication and risks of fires, invasion of ruderal plants and also facilitates extractivism of ornamental species (Filho and Leme 2006, Silva Matos et al. 2002, Da Silva 2001). The ability of A. tigridens to regenerate and persist in disturbed and secondary forests is unknown. This orchid has very attractive flowers and although it does not appear to be commercially available it is cultivated by orchids enthusiasts and may be the pray of unscrupulous collectors. Collecting from natural sources is still very common in Brazil in spite of prohibitions of international commerce of species collected in the wild (Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – CITES) (Saddi et al. 2005). Past Present Future 1 Habitat Loss/Degradation (human induced) 1.1 Agriculture 1.1.1 Crops 1.4 Infrastructure development 1.4.2 Human settlement 1.4.3 Tourism/recreation 3 Harvesting (hunting/gathering) 3.5 Cultural/scientific/leisure activities 9 Intrinsic factors 9.9 Restricted range Conservation Measures A. tigridens was collected within the Tijuca National Park, in Rio de Janeiro and the Reserva Biologica A. Ruschi, in Espirito Santo, both ca. 3000 ha in areas. The type was collected in 1916. The Tijuca National Park, the largest area of Urban forest in the world, was created in 1961 and forests were mainly replanted. Current occurrence of the taxon in this conservation unit is unknown. No specific conservation measures seem to be in place for this species however. Conservation efforts have been so far only limited in the region. The forest code need to better enforced (Tabarelli et al. 2005). Biodiversity corridors are currently being implemented as part of the PP-G7 Atlantic forest subprogram (Tabarelli et al. 2005) and the Unesco Biosphere Reserve of Mata Atlantica development. Many forest fragments occur on private land and innovative incentives are needed. Extensive habitat restoration and expansion of protected areas is needed for the establishment of corridors (Filho and Leme 2006). This orchid is currently listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The taxon is grown exsitu in botanical institutions. 77 % of all species of the tribe Pleurothallids are known from three or fewer sites (Koopowitz et al. 1993). Surveys and census should be conducted in both sites of collection and surrounding fragments of montane Atlantic forests to determine the current size and range of the population. The population should be closely monitored and its dynamics studied. A species recovery action plan needs to be designed for this species. Micropropagation protocols should be designed for population reinforcement, for in vitro preservation and to alleviate the potential pressure of extraction on the wild population. Raising awareness on the risk of extinction face by these epiphytic orchids is important. Seeds should be collected for germplasm conservation. In Place Needed 1 Policy-based actions 1.2 Legislation 1.2.1 Development 1.2.1.1 International level 1.2.1.2 National level 1.2.2 Implementation 1.2.2.1 International level 1.2.2.2 National level 2 Communication and Education 2.2 Awareness 3 Research actions 3.2 Population numbers and range 3.3 Biology and Ecology 3.9 Trends/Monitoring 4 Habitat and site-based actions 4.2 Restoration 4.3 Corridors 4.4 Protected areas 4.4.1 Identification of new protected areas 4.4.2 Establishment 4.4.3 Management 5 Species-based actions 5.7 Ex situ conservation actions 5.7.1 Captive breeding/Artificial propagation 5.7.2 Genome resource bank Countries of Occurrence PRESENCE ORIGIN Year Breeding Non- Passage Possibly ExtinctPresence Native Introduced Re- Vagrant Origin Round Season breeding migrant extinct uncertain Introduced uncertain only season only Brazil Espírito Santo Rio de Janeiro General Habitats Score Description Major Importance 1 Forest 1Suitable Unset 1.6 Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland1 Suitable Unset Ecosystem Services Insufficient Information available Species provides no ecosystem services Score according to relative importance where 1 = very important, 2 = important, 3 = some importance, 4 = not important/relevant and 5 = not known. Ecosystem service Score (from 1 to 5) Geographic range over which benefits are felt? Water Quality Water Supplies Flood Control Climate Regulation Landscape Air Quality Nutrient Cycling Habitat Maintenance 3 Provision of Critical Habitat 3 Pollination 3 Erosion Control Biocontrol Shoreline Protection Other (specify) Define Other: Other (specify) Define Other: Species Utilisation Species is not utilised at all Purpose / Type of Use Subsistence National International 13. Pets/display animals, horticulture Trend in the level of wild offtake/harvest in relation to total wild population numbers over the last five years: Trend in the amount of offtake/harvest produced through domestication/cultivation over the last five years: CITES status: Appendix II IUCN Red Listing Red List Assessment:(using 2001 IUCN system) Endangered (EN) Red List Criteria: B2ab(ii,iii) Date Last Seen (only for EX, EW or Possibly EX species): Is the species Possibly Extinct? Possibly Extinct Candidate? Rationale for the Red List Assessment A. tigridens is a little known epiphytic orchid, which is only known from 2 collections. The type was collected in 1916, around Rio de Janeiro. Another more recent collection (2004) was made in Espirito Santo. A. tigridens appears to be very rare and listed as Critically Endangered in Espirito Santo. In Mata Atlantica, the fact that many epiphytes are known from only one population is not due to uneven sampling effort but because they represent the last remain of an earlier biodiversity. A. tigridens was collected within the Tijuca National Park, in Rio de Janeiro and the Reserva Biologica A. Ruschi, in Espirito Santo. However, the taxon does not appear to benefit from specific conservation measures. Harvesting of firewood, illegal logging, plant collecting,