List of endangered insects

1 extinct in the wild insect species (0.02%)195 critically endangered insect species (3.3%)343 endangered insect species (5.7%)608 vulnerable insect species (10%)301 near threatened insect species (5.0%)2843 least concern insect species (47%)1702 data deficient insect species (28%)
Insect species (IUCN, 2016.1)
  • 5993 extant species have been evaluated
  • 4291 of those are fully assessed[a]
  • 3144 are not threatened at present[b]
  • 1146 to 2848 are threatened[c]
  • 59 to 105 are extinct or extinct in the wild:
    • 58 extinct (EX) species[d]
    • 1 extinct in the wild (EW)
    • 46 possibly extinct [CR(PE)]
    • 0 possibly extinct in the wild [CR(PEW)]
  1. ^ excludes data deficient evaluations.
  2. ^ NT, LR/cd, LC.
  3. ^ Threatened comprises CR, EN and VU. Upper estimate additionally includes DD.
  4. ^ Chart omits extinct (EX) species
Endangered (EN) species are considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction inside.

In July 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 343 endangered insect species.[1] Of all evaluated insect species, 5.7% are listed as endangered. The IUCN also lists 21 insect subspecies as endangered.

No subpopulations of insects have been evaluated by the IUCN.

For a species to be considered endangered by the IUCN it must meet certain quantitative criteria which are designed to classify taxa facing "a very high risk of extinction". An even higher risk is faced by critically endangered species, which meet the quantitative criteria for endangered species. Critically endangered insects are listed separately. There are 538 insect species which are endangered or critically endangered.

Additionally 1702 insect species (28% of those evaluated) are listed as data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information for a full assessment of conservation status. As these species typically have small distributions and/or populations, they are intrinsically likely to be threatened, according to the IUCN.[2] While the category of data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made for the taxa, the IUCN notes that it may be appropriate to give them "the same degree of attention as threatened taxa, at least until their status can be assessed".[3]

This is a complete list of endangered insect species and subspecies as evaluated by the IUCN.

  1. ^ "IUCN Red List version 2016.1". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 27 June 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Limitations of the Data". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  3. ^ "2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2016.