Invertebrates - The fauna - An exceptional heritage

Although it already contains over 2,000 species, the Park’s inventory of invertebrates is far from finished and must be continued. The many altitudes of this territory – from the Mediterranean piedmont to the peaks of Mont Lozère and Mont Aigoual – and the great diversity of environments explain this extraordinary abundance.

Insects: an exceptional abundance

Invertebrates represent 85% of the animal species living in the Park. Insects alone make up over 90% of these invertebrates: 1,824 species have been discovered.
Park land has been spared – at least until recently – the use of pesticides, fungicides or fertilisers, practices which have become generalised everywhere else and are having a strong impact on invertebrate populations. Many previously common species have become rare or have disappeared because of this. In the Cévennes, on the other hand, they can still be found.
Prolific insect fauna is also encouraged by environmental variety, linked to the diversity of bedrock, sun exposure, climate influences and plant dynamics.

Remarkable species

Certain species are of heritage interest. This includes, among the Coleoptera, the saproxylics, which contain several species that are of European importance: the rosalia longicorn, capricorn beetle, stag beetle and hermit beetle.

Among the lepidopterae, there are the marsh fritillary, false ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus) and apollo butterfly. Apollo butterfly populations on the Causses are extremely vulnerable. One of them has been recognised as being of national importance. The apollo butterfly population in the National Park is key for the preservation of this species in the Massif Central.

stag beetle

The apollo

Finally, among the numerous species of Odonata, there is the shining macromia dragonfly. Its presence in the Park has been mapped.

Maintaining open environments – especially the short-grass prairies of the Causses, wetlands and transitional environments such as heath – is essential for the preservation of biodiversity and in particular of invertebrate diversity.

The white-clawed (or Atlantic stream) crayfish

White-footed crayfish

This is probably the best known invertebrate and a particularly endangered species. Some ten years ago, it was widespread. Currently it is limited to a few waterways, which makes it an extremely fragile species.