Biodiversity Information System for Europe - Species

Amphibians

2011-10-11T16:00:21Z

Amphibians were the first vertebrate animals to colonise the land. All amphibians are cold-blooded, and most lay eggs. The majority of species undergo metamorphosis, moving from a larval stage (usually aquatic) through the development of limbs and lungs to become terrestrial adults. However, a significant minority of the species develop directly from eggs, usually laid on land, without a larval stage. There are also a few viviparous species that give birth to young, without laying eggs. Almost all species are dependent on moist conditions, and many require freshwater habitats in which to breed. Amphibians are entirely absent from marine environments. (IUCN European Redlist).

The European amphibians include frogs and toads, as well as salamanders and newts. Within the 27 European Member States there are 84 amphibian species, whereof nearly 55% are endemic, meaning they only occur within these countries.

While for the mammals and repitiles there is a clear gradient of increasing species richness from the north to the south of Europe, the pattern for Amphibians is different. There is a high diversity of Amphibians in the intermediate latitudes as well as in the south; the top five EU countries are Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Greece.

According to IUCN habitat loss is the most significant threat to Amphibians, followed by pollution including climate change and invasive species. Nearly a quarter (22%) of amphibians are considered threatened. (IUCN 2009).

50 amphibians (thereof 43 endemics) are identified as of European interest and therefore covered by the Habitats Directive. The conservation status of these species has been assessed as unfavourable for nearly 70% of the cases (22% unfavourable bad, 46% unfavorable inadequate).

Selected links

Fauna Europaea

AmphibiaWeb

search EUNIS for amphibians

Reptiles

2011-10-11T16:00:21Z

Reptiles are found in all continents but Antarctica ; the number of reptiles is about 8800 (reptile-database 2009). All reptiles are cold-blooded and their skin is covered with scales as opposed to feathers or fur. They range in size from tiny geckos measuring less than 2 cm in length to saltwater crocodiles that can reach 5.5 m in length and weigh more than 1,000 kg. Most reptile species lay eggs (oviparous); the embryo develops inside the egg and outside the mother’s body, without a larval stage.

As ectothermic (cold-blooded) species, reptiles regulate their body temperature by moving into warmer or cooler environments in order to achieve optimal body temperature for different processes such as digestion or development of embryos. The habitat of reptiles varies greatly and includes the open sea, coral reefs, mangroves, freshwater habitats and many terrestrial

The European reptiles are lizards, snakes as well as turtles and tortoises. According to IUCN the number of European reptiles is 151, whereof 141 occur in the EU Member States. 19,4% of the European reptiles are threatened, with 4.3% critically endangered. The populations of 42% of the reptiles are declining. The only group known to have a higher proportion of declining species is amphibians (59%). The majority of European threatened reptiles are endemic (IUCN 2009).

Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation represent the greatest threats to European reptiles. Being ecotherimc species reptiles are often dependend on habitats with open areas. Therefore agricultural abandonment and decline of traditional cultivation and animal husbanddry is a serious problem for reptiles in many parts of Europe.

87 reptiles (thereof 52 are endemics) are identified as of European interest and therefore covered by the Habitats Directive. The conservation status of these species has been assessed as unfavourable for 40% of the cases; for 42% the conservation status is unknown.

Selected links

Fauna Europaea

Reptile-database

search EUNIS for reptiles

Mammals

2011-10-11T16:00:21Z

Mammals are a well-known class of vertebrates, including many familiar domesticated species. All mammals are warm-blooded, and all female mammals possess mammary glands (mammae), which are used to suckle the young with milk. The vast majority of mammals give birth to live young. Mammals are found in a wide variety of habitats, including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems. They occur from the deserts to the dense forests, from the deep seas to the highest mountains, and from the tropics to the polar ice caps.

Terrestrial mammals native to Europe are even-toed, ungulates, carnivores, bats, hedgehogs and their relatives, rabbits, hares and pikas, rodents, shrews and moles. The marine ones are whales and dolphins, seals and walrus.

The mammal fauna of Europe is largely derived from the Eurasian and African biogeographic zones and therefore exhibits relatively low levels of endemism, as most species tend to have very wide ranges. Within Europe, there are 219 terrestrial mammal species, of which 59 species (26.9%) are endemic, and 41 species of marine mammal, of which none are endemic.

Nearly one in six terrestrial mammal species (15%) are threatened and a further 9% are close to reach the status threatened. A higher proportion of marine mammals are threatened than terrestrial mammals and more than a quarter (27%) of European mammals have declining populations. A quarter (25%) of marine mammals are threatened.

Terrestrial mammal biodiversity is greatest in south-eastern Europen in the mountainous regions of Mediterranean and temperate Europe.

Habitat loss and degradation is the greatest threat to terrestrial mammals, followed by human disturbance, pollution, accidental mortality, overexploitation and invasive spreis. The main threat to marine mammals are accidental mortality (e.g. fisheries bycatch), pollution and overexploitation. (IUCN 2009)

115 mammals (thereof 27 are endemics) are identified as of European interest and therefore covered by the Habitats Directive. The conservation status of these species has been assessed as unfavourable for 40% of the cases; for 46% the conservation status is unknown.

Selected links

search EUNIS for mammals