Scarce Yellow Splinter (Lipsothrix nobilis)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - true fly (Diptera) > Fly |
| Red List Status: | (Not Relevant) [(not listed)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | Lipsothrix nigristigma |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Lipsothrix nobilis |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | Loew, 1873 |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | (not listed) |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Recorded in three main clusters since the late 1990's, Cumberland, (River Irthing); Shropshire, (Telford area) and Lancashire (Clayton-le-Dale). Surveys were carried out in 2000 around the Telford area and eight sites were found. Detailed habitat descriptions are given, see Godfrey, A., 2000a and 2000b |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | The species specifically requires rotten logs that are (firmly) jammed into the banks of high water quality, shallow streams. Maintaining this type of habitat and education re. the importance of rotten wood in streams and rivers not just on land, may be necessary to prevent land managers 'tidying up'. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Coarse woody material in streams is utilised by many different invertebrates either as food, for hunting or for shelter; protecting this resource on a large scale throughout stream and small river systems would be positive for many different species and Orders. The rise of beavers in the landscape greatly aids these Lipsothrix craneflies |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 5. Remedial action identified |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Medium-high |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Combination - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | The species has been surveyed in Shropshire (2000) and there are records from 2016. The species is mentioned in the Monmouthshire Species recovery action plan. Whilst there are multiple records from known sites (Shropshire, Cumberland & Lancashire) the species could potentially have been overlooked, the flight period is quite early (May). As with the other Lipsothrix species the habitat requirements are known in general, so surveying suitable sites away from the main clusters may be worthwhile to see if the distribution is greater than currently known. Potential 4th action suggestion around a wider action of reviewing beaver dams and their fit against niches used by Lipsothrix craneflies, as they are a strong driver towards adding wet timber back into the landscape. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Tailored surveys of potential habitat in known or potential habitat localities to determine the populations and species distribution, thus identifying areas where L. nobilis is present.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Targeted monitoring
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites
High priority sites: Shropshire, sites to West and Southwest of Telford. See Godfrey, A., 2000a. Survey for the cranefly Lipsothrix nigristigma. for previously surveyed sites and potential new ones https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/211720 English Nature South Lancashire, Clayton-le-Dale SD63, Cumberland Kellwood, River Irthing NY5263.
Comments: To establish if populations are still present, if so then targeted actions can be put in place
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Study of the habitat requirements of Lipsothrix nobilis,
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites: Shropshire, sites to West and Southwest of Telford. See Godfrey, A., 2000a. Survey for the cranefly Lipsothrix nigristigma. for previously surveyed sites and potential new ones https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/211720 English Nature South Lancashire, Clayton-le-Dale SD63, Cumberland Kellwood, River Irthing NY5263.
Comments: Studies to including size, positioning and state of decay of logs, size of dams and a standardised approach to recording based on this information
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Advice to landowners/managers on conserving and enhancing the habitat required by species. Work with fluvial flood defence schemes adding timber to water-courses to flow slow, ensuring design reflects the sort of niches used by the Lipsothrix flies.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Advice & support
Duration: Unknown
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites
High priority sites: Shropshire, sites to West and Southwest of Telford. See Godfrey, A., 2000a. Survey for the cranefly Lipsothrix nigristigma. for previously surveyed sites and potential new ones https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/211720 English Nature South Lancashire, Clayton-le-Dale SD63, Cumberland Kellwood, River Irthing NY5263.
Comments: Focussed around any specifics found by previous studies and the importance of retaining wet, anchored, coarse woody debris. This action will benefit potentially dozens of others
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.