Xerces Blue

[Stelenes at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/15/00 9:30:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
Neil at NWJONES.DEMON.CO.UK writes:

Actually the Xerces Blue existed in two forms as I understand it .
tHe typical xerces form and the form antiacis. The latter had heavily black
centred white spots. Does anyone know how this compares with the
Palos Verdes Blue which is obviously a close relation? The Palos Verdes
has more pronounced hindwing spots which sound just like this.
For those used to latin the Palos Verdes Blue is
Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis.
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main host plant Palos Verdes Blue (palosverdensis):  Astragalus leucopsis
host plants Behr's Blue (incognitus):  more varied, probably lots of lupines
main host plant Xerces Blue (xerces):  Lotus scoparius (??)

Actually, the taxonomic comments made by Neil Jones regarding the less common 
xerces forms with black centers are not incorrect, I don't think an absolute 
determination as to spots is possible at this time or maybe ever.  Haven't 
read the new Western Systematics books comment here but would speculate that 
the degree of black centers were caused by a cross breeding cline of Xerces 
with Behr's Blue.  The fact remains that the white spotted form, ssp., 
species or whatever you wish to categorize as, is what is easy to point to as 
gone - extinct.  The xerces specimens in the PG museum were especially hairy 
looking, though their age may have contributed to this impression as they 
were also somewhat faded looking.  The huge white dots upon sight made them 
look quite unique, considering I never saw another Blue with no black inside 
the dots.  I would further speculate that the three kinds of Blues being 
referred to above in the message more probably formed the advancing edge of 
their evolution and their forms were effected at least as strongly by the 
environments, environmentally differentiated behavior, and special aspects of 
foodplants they were found in as their genetics.  I might not want black dots 
if I slept near the sand dunes and would welcome an all white-dot mutation.  
Regarding dot size?  Who knows, but the white ones were definitely more 
remarkable for ID in flight....Too bad there are no more xerces around to do 
the behavioral experiments which could further the understanding of this 
complex.  Perhaps Ms. Hammond can wait on this explanation until her students 
graduate into the second grade and if we need an extinct poster child 
butterfly, a holotype all-white dotted xerces is a good way to communicate 
what is extinct.  Then again, perhaps this is all backwards and the white 
dots persist in the related type: pseudoxerces which apparently is still 
around somewhere.  Any info on it would be appreciated.

Best wishes
Doug Dawn
Woodland,  CA

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> In article <391F441D.D654C41F at concentric.net>
>             birdcr at CONCENTRIC.NET "Randy Emmitt" writes:
>  
>  > Christie,
>  > 
>  > Doug Dawn wrote:
>  > 
>  > "The Xerces Blue is very easy to distinguish from
>  > the Silvery Blue which is a common name for the species argued to contain
>  > it.
>  >  If you look at the upper wing it is hard to tell, but the lower surface
>  > were
>  > albino white dots instead of the black ones you see in this pic of the
>  > Silvery Blue"
>  
>  Actually the Xerces Blue existed in two forms as I understand it .
>  tHe typical xerces form and the form antiacis. The latter had heavily black
>  centred white spots. Does anyone know how this compares with the
>  Palos Verdes Blue which is obviously a close relation? The Palos Verdes
>  has more pronounced hindwing spots which sound just like this.
>  For those used to latin the Palos Verdes Blue is
>  Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis.
>  
>  
>  
>  > 
>  > I have photos from May 01, 2000 of our North Carolina species of Silvery
>  > Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) after reading about the Ca. version I see 
> that
>  > ours is much more habitat restricted. The four I found all were by
>  > themselves many miles apart. All at high elevations in the mountians and
>  > very restricted to it`s host plants  Carolina Vetch (Vicia caroliniana). 
> The
>  > photos I took of the three that let me photograph them may still be out
>  > there as it was only 13 days ago. Have a look at
>  > http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/blue_silvery01.htm
>  > 
>  > Regards,
>  > 
>  > Randy L Emmitt
>  > Rougemont, NC
>  > Butterflies Found In NC Online!
>  > http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/butterflies.html
>  > 
>  > Paolo Mazzei wrote:
>  > 
>  > > Christie L. Hammond (Lake Hills Elementary School, Bellevue, 
Washington,
>  > > mailto:Christie.Hammond at bsd405.com) wrote:
>  > >
>  > > Hi,
>  > >
>  > > It's me again.  My class and I have so been enjoying the generous
>  > > responses that we have received to our questions.  One of the things my
>  > > kids wanted to know about is the effect of extinct butterflies on the
>  > > ecosystem.  I believe the Xerces Blue butterfly is the first butterfly
>  > > to become extinct in North America.  I have been unablt to locate any
>  > > pictures or information regarding this butterfly or why it became
>  > > extinct.  I thought I would send this inquiry to you and see what you 
or
>  > > your e-mail network came up with.  We still have much work that we plan
>  > > to do but my class will be contacting you regarding the results of our
>  > > study.
>  > >
>  > > Again, thank you so much for your assistance with this project.
>  > >
>  > > Christie Hammond
>  > 
>  > 
>  
>  -- 
>  Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
>  "At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
>  butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
>  National Nature Reserve
>  
>