''Oreocnemis phoenix'', the Mulanje red damsel, is a species of
damselfly in the family
Platycnemididae. It is
endemic to the slopes of
Mount Mulanje in
Malawi, occurring near montane streams at altitudes of 1,800-2,200 m.
A survey carried out between November 2001 to January 2002 showed that the species was still abundant on the plateau of Mount Mulanje but that it is not present in other highlands in Malawi and adjacent
Mozambique. Its habitat is threatened by drainage and
habitat destruction due to agriculture, encroachment and over-exploitation of forest, and mining. The
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
currently classifies it as
Endangered.
The Mulanje red damsel is listed as one of
the world's 100 most threatened species.
References
Insects of Malawi
Platycnemididae
South Malawi montane forest–grassland mosaic
Insects described in 1971
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Endemic fauna of Malawi
{{Platycnemididae-stub