Paratrophis sclerophylla is a shrub, endemic to the northwestern part of Grande Terre in New Caledonia. This species is known from two subpopulations: Boulinda and Mé Maoya massifs. It is found in high elevation forests on ultramafic substrates between 700 and 1,440 m asl. This species could be affected by habitat degradation by bushfires and future mining activities, however it is a forest species and it does not seem significantly threatened at the moment, thus while declines may be suspected for the future they cannot be predicted with confidence. Its area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence (EOO) are respectively 20 km² and 95 km². Therefore, due to it occurring at a small number of locations (five), and having a small extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO), P. sclerophylla is assessed as Near Threatened (NT) close to Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v).

Geographical area

Paratrophis sclerophyllus is endemic to New Caledonia where it is restricted to the northwestern part of Grande Terre in New Caledonia. This species is known from two subpopulations : Boulinda and Mé Maoya massifs.

Population

The population size is not known.

Habitat

Paratrophis sclerophyllus occurs in high elevation forests on an ultramafic substrate between 700 and 1440 m asl.

Threats

This species could be affected by habitat degradation by bushfires and future mining activities on the Boulinda massif however it is a forest species and it does not seem significantly threatened at the moment.

Conservation

Paratrophis sclerophyllus is not protected by legislation in New Caledonia and it does not occur in any protected areas.

Bibliography

Gardner et al 2020. Repeated parallel losses of inflexed stamens in Moraceae: phylogenomics and generic revision of the tribe Moreae and the reinstatement of the tribe Olmedieae (Moraceae).

Munzinger J., Morat Ph., Jaffré T., Gâteblé G., Pillon Y., Rouhan G., Bruy, D., Veillon J.-M., & M. Chalopin 2020. FLORICAL: Checklist of the vascular indigenous flora of New Caledonia [continuously updated].

Morat, P.; Jaffré, T.; Tronchet, F.; Munzinger, J.; Pillon, Y.; Veillon, J.-M. and Chalopin, M. 2012. Le référentiel taxonomique Florical et les caractéristiques de la flore vasculaire indigène de la Nouvelle-Calédonie [The taxonomic database « FLORICAL » and characteristics of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia]. Adansonia sér 3(34) , p.177-219.

Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.

Experts

Assessor(s): Amice, R., Barrière, R., Bruy, D., Cazé, H., Fleurot, D., Lagrange, A., Lannuzel, G., Laudereau, C., Mandaoué, L., Vandrot, H.

Reviewer(s): Meyer, S.

Facilitator(s): Fourdrain, A., Warimavute, G.