DOI: 10.5061/dryad.xd2547ds6
title: Mitigating the extinction risk of globally threatened and endemic mountainous Orthoptera species: Parnassiana parnassica and Oropodisma parnassica

description: Abstract Orthoptera species are vulnerable to extinction on a global
 scale. Greece hosts 35% (380 species) of the European Orthoptera fauna
 with a high degree of endemic (37%) and threatened species (37%). We
 sampled 46 plots (100 m2) to investigate the distribution and ecological
 requirement of two Greek mountain endemic and red‐listed species:
 Parnassiana parnassica (Ramme, 1926; Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Critically
 Endangered [CR]) and Oropodisma parnassica (Scudder, 1897; Orthoptera:
 Caelifera; Endangered [EN]). Species had a restricted geographical range,
 with two isolated populations confined to high altitudes (1527–2320 m) of
 Mts. Parnassos and Elikonas. Species distribution models showed that slope
 affected their suitable habitat, together with the topographic position
 index the annual temperature range (P. parnassica), and the amount of
 green vegetation and evapotranspiration (O. parnassica). Connectivity
 analysis showed that P. parnassica‐suitable habitat consisted of few
 larger and well‐connected patches (26 patches: effective mesh size of
 1.57 km2) and that O. parnassica‐suitable habitat consisted of more but
 smaller and less connected patches (56 patches: effective mesh size of
 0.3 km2). Generalised linear models showed that the population density of
 P. parnassica was negatively influenced by the height of herbaceous
 vegetation and that of O. parnassica was positively influenced by
 altitude. The species face three main imminent threats: land take,
 wildfires, and global warming, whereas livestock grazing seems to have a
 positive impact and skiing a neutral impact on their populations. We
 assessed both species as EN after the International Union for Conservation
 of Nature (IUCN) criteria and a suite of conservation measures are
 suggested for their status improvement.
description: The dataset refers to the environmental parameters occurring in
 the localities of the presence of two Greek endemic species that are
 globally endangered (EN), according to the results of the paper related to
 the current dataset <em>Parnassiana parnassica</em> and
 <em>Oropodisma parnassica</em>. The study
 area comprises the global distribution range of the two target species. It
 encompasses two mountains in central Greece: Mt Parnassos and Mt
 Elikonas. We conducted field surveys for three
 consecutive years (2021, 2022, 2023) during August and surveyed a total of
 103 sites. We employed the time-constrained visit method, actively
 searching for the species for 45 minutes. In almost all cases, upon
 encountering the species, we delineated a quadrat of a standard area of
 100 m<sup>2</sup> and counted the number of individuals (40
 quadrats). We recorded 12 microhabitat parameters at each quadrat with
 species occurrence: Altitude, slope, ground cover of soil, rocks, stones,
 and vegetation. Vegetation included herbaceous plants, (characterized by
 non-woody stems or roots), and robust herbaceous plants and shrubs (either
 a woody stem or a woody base or both). The database
 consists of two matrices for the two target species respectively. For
 localities with presence only, the altitude is provided. For quadrats with
 a number of individuals, the values of the 12 environmental parameters are
 provided. <em>P. parnassica</em>: 30 quadrats X 12 parameters
 and 3 presences. <em>O. parnassica: </em>  30 quadrats X 12
 parameters and 6 presences. No coordinates are provided
 due to the red-list status of the species.
description: # Parnassiana parnassica and Oropodisma parnassica (Orthoptera): dataset
 [https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12784](https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12784)
 ## Description of the data and file structure During August, we conducted
 field surveys for three consecutive years (2021, 2022, 2023) and surveyed
 103 sites. We employed the time-constrained visit method, actively
 searching for the species for 45 minutes. In almost all cases, upon
 encountering the species, we delineated a quadrat of a standard area of
 100 m2 and counted the number of individuals (40 quadrats). We recorded 12
 microhabitat parameters at each quadrat with species occurrence: Altitude,
 slope, ground cover of soil, rocks, stones, and vegetation. Vegetation
 included herbaceous plants (characterized by non-woody stems or roots) and
 robust herbaceous plants and shrubs (either a woody stem or a woody base
 or both). **Target species:** Two high-altitude Orthoptera species of
 Greece that are endemic and globally threatened, namely *Parnassiana
 parnassica* (Ramme, 1926; Critically Endangered [CR]) and *Oropodisma
 parnassica* (Scudder, 1897; Endangered [EN]). The genus *Parnassiana* is
 entirely endemic to Greece, comprising 13 mountain-dwelling species that
 are all red-listed and, hence, globally threatened. They are small to
 medium-sized (14–18 mm), cryptic, short-winged bush crickets, with adults
 usually appearing in August. They produce a song with scratching sounds
 lasting 0.5–2.5 s, typically in the evening and the night. The
 genus *Oropodisma* comprises 10 mountain-dwelling species, which are all,
 except one, Greek endemics and are all red-listed. They are also small to
 medium-sized (13–23 mm), compact, apterous grasshoppers, appearing in
 adult form in August, with no sound production documented. *Parnassiana
 parnassica* and *O. parnassica* are known to be genetically distinct from
 the other species of the same genera. ### Files and variables #### File:
 Stefanidis\_2024.xlsx **Description:**  README: Explanation of variables
 codes Parnassiana parnassica: dataset of 30 quadrats X 12 parameters and
 three presences Oropodisma parnassica: dataset of 30 quadrats X 12
 parameters and six presences ##### Variables | **Variable** | **Type** |
 **Explanation** | | :----------- | :--------- |
 :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Code | text | The unique code of each sampling point | | Species | text | Target species name (Parnassiana parnassica or Oropodisma parnassica) | | N | number | Number of individuals or present (when only presence was recorded) | | Year | number | Year of sampling | | Mountain | text | Mountain sampled | | Altitude | meters | altitude | | Slope | degrees | Slope | | R | percentage | Rock cover (%) | | St | percentage | Stone cover (%) | | So | percentage | Soil cover (%) | | Veg | percentage | The total vegetation cover (%) is divided into herbaceous plants cover and robust herbaceous plants and shrubs cover. | | Ghmean | cm | Mean height of herbaceous vegetation (cm) | | Ghmax | cm | Maximum height of herbaceous vegetation (cm) | | Rpcover | percentage | Robust herbaceous plants and shrubs cover | | Rpmax | cm | Maximum height of robust/shrubby vegetation (cm) | | Rpmean | cm | Mean height of robust/shrubby vegetation (cm) | | Hcover | percentage | herbaceous plants cover |