Ariocarpus bravoanus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	MAGNOLIOPSIDA	CARYOPHYLLALES	CACTACEAE

Scientific Name:	Ariocarpus bravoanus
Species Authority:	H.M.Hern. & E.F.Anderson
Infra-specific Taxa Assessed:	See Ariocarpus bravoanus ssp. bravoanus See Ariocarpus bravoanus ssp. hintonii
Taxonomic Notes:	Is accepted as a valid species by most cactus researchers, including Hunt (1999) and Anderson (2001). Two subspecies are recognized: subsp. bravoanus and subsp. hintonii.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1
Year Published:	2002
Annotations:	Needs updating
Assessor/s:	Anderson, E.F., Fitz Maurice, W.A., Fitz Maurice, B., Sotomayor, M., Arrendondo, A.G. & Sánchez, B.
Reviewer/s:	Stuppy, W. & Taylor, N.P. (Cacti & Succulent Plant Red List Authority)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Although the species is known to occur in several locations, the total area of occupancy is certainly less than 20 km² (probably about 8 km²). Some of the locations have been severely depleted by collectors. Other localities are still untouched including a recently discovered very large subpopulation comprising more than 10,000 plants. Unfortunately, should collectors find these other locations the species would very quickly move into a more threatened category.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Found on the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert near Nuñez, and in the Desert proper near Matehuala. Early observations indicated that this species occurred in a single small area where it had been accidentally discovered. The original location has become well known to collectors and the population has been severely depleted, with more than 70% of the plants removed within the last five years. However, recent fieldwork has shown additional nearby subpopulations that are at present undisturbed. The decision to place Ariocarpus fissuratus var. hintonii as a subspecies under this species, greatly expanded the known range. The species population exceeds 10,000 individuals in several distinct colonies comprising more than ten locations.
Countries:	Native: Mexico (San Luis Potosí)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population Trend:	Stable

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Chihuahuan Desert, among outcroppings of limestone rocks at an altitude of 1,500-2,000 m. The habitat is locally classified as matorral desértico micrófilo (Rzedowski 1978).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	One location is very near a village, and there is a serious threat of habitat alteration. The site is also known to collectors and there is definite evidence of illegal collecting. In fact, plants of this species have been confiscated in Europe. Other sites are far from villages or other human activities, so there is less likelihood that those localities will be affected by habitat alteration. However, the number of individual plants in each locality (except for the newly discovered one) is only in the thousands, so collectors could quickly decimate any of these small populations. Local people also use several Ariocarpus species, including A. bravoanus, for medicinal purposes.

Major Threat(s):

One location is very near a village, and there is a serious threat of habitat alteration. The site is also known to collectors and there is definite evidence of illegal collecting. In fact, plants of this species have been confiscated in Europe. Other sites are far from villages or other human activities, so there is less likelihood that those localities will be affected by habitat alteration. However, the number of individual plants in each locality (except for the newly discovered one) is only in the thousands, so collectors could quickly decimate any of these small populations. Local people also use several Ariocarpus species, including A. bravoanus, for medicinal purposes.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Listed on CITES App. I, but the laws governing imports in the countries of destination need to be enforced. The plants are propagated in the trade.

Conservation Actions:

Listed on CITES App. I, but the laws governing imports in the countries of destination need to be enforced. The plants are propagated in the trade.

Citation:	Anderson, E.F., Fitz Maurice, W.A., Fitz Maurice, B., Sotomayor, M., Arrendondo, A.G. & Sánchez, B. 2002. Ariocarpus bravoanus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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