Butterflies (3 spp.) and the F&WS

[Mike Quinn]

-----Original Message-----
From: NEWS at fws.gov [mailto:NEWS at fws.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 1:03 PM
To: fws-news at lists.fws.gov
Subject: [fws-news] SERVICE, CONSERVATION GROUPS REACH AGREEMENT TO LIST
NEW SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT


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Chris Tollefson 202-208-5634

     SERVICE,  CONSERVATION GROUPS REACH AGREEMENT
     TO  LIST NEW SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Interior Secretary Gale Norton today announced that the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service  and several conservation organizations have reached an
agreement in principle that will enable the Service to complete work on
evaluations of numerous species proposed for listing under the Endangered
Species Act.

Under this agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity, Southern
Appalachian Biodiversity Project, California Native Plant Society, and the
Biodiversity Legal Foundation, the Service will issue final listing
decisions for 14 species and propose eight more species for listing. The
Service also will be able to take action on four citizen petitions to list
species under the Act.   The Service and the organizations have agreed to
extend deadlines for eight other critical habitat designations, thereby
making funds available for these actions.

<snips>

Carson wandering skipper (Nevada and California): Emergency Listing

This species of skipper butterfly, Pseudocopaeodes eunus, is the only one
in it genus.  It is found locally distributed in grassland habitats on
alkaline substrates in Nevada and California.  The skipper depends on
saltgrass communities with a freshwater source nearby to support nectar
sources.  This subspecies is threatened by habitat fragmentation,
degradation, and loss primarily due to agriculture, livestock grazing, and
urban development. Non-native plant invasion and impacts from proposed
water development projects which can alter local hydrology are also
threats.  The genus of skipper butterfly is believed to include five
subspecies: One of the subspecies, P. e. obscurus,  currently found in only
two populations, one in Washoe County, Nevada and the other in Lassen
County, California.  A third population of P.e. obscurus  known from Carson
City, Nevada is believed to have been extirpated from that site in recent
years.


Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly (New Mexico): Proposed Listing
Rule

The Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly is restricted to the
vicinity of  Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County, New
Mexico.  The species is threatened by destruction and fragmentation of
habitat from private and commercial development, habitat degradation and
loss of host plants from grazing, encroachment of conifers and non-native
vegetation into non- forested openings, over-collection, and, due to its
limited range, vulnerability to local extirpations from extreme weather
events or catastrophic wildfire including fire suppression activities.

Miami blue butterfly (Florida): 90-day Finding

The Miami blue is a small butterfly with bright blue forewings on both
sexes, a wide dark outer border on the forewing in females, and an
orange-capped eyespot on the hindwing.  This subspecies once occurred from
mainland peninsular Florida, as far north as Hillsborough and Volusia
counties, southward to south Florida and the Keys, including the Dry
Tortugas.

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