Updated Checklist of Arthropods from Azores (Portugal)
checklistThe data we present consists in an updated checklist of the Azorean arthropods. The checklist compile known records based on published literature, unpublished data, and new records at archipelago and island levels. This publication represents the most recent information about distribution of introduced, native and endemic arthropods in the Azores archipelago.
Currently the total number of terrestrial arthropod taxa (species and subspecies) in the Azores is estimated of about 2420 belonging to 14 classes, 53 orders, 440 families, 1556 genera and 2400 species and 149 individual subspecies.
The most diverse orders of Azorean arthropods are: Coleoptera (585 taxa), Diptera (423 taxa), Hemiptera (338 taxa), Hymenoptera (163 taxa), Lepidoptera (159 taxa) and Araneae (133 taxa).
A total of 276 endemic taxa are currently known (232 species and 44 subspecies), belonging to 8 classes and 22 orders. São Miguel, Terceira and Pico are the islands with higher number of endemic species and subspecies. Compared to the other nearest Macaronesian archipelagos (Madeira and Canaries), the Azorean arthropod fauna is characterized by a lower percentage of endemism and a high proportion of exotic introduced species.
Borges P A V, Lamelas-Lopez L, Andrade R, Lhoumeau S, Vieira V, Soares A O, Borges I, Boieiro M, Cardoso P, Crespo L C, Karsholt O, Assing V, Schülke M, Serrano A R M, Quartau J A (2023). Updated Checklist of Arthropods from Azores (Portugal). Version 1.7. Universidade dos Açores. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/vzpxhx accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-06-14.
CC BYPublished 3/22/2023
