Recently extinct butterflies and moths

An undertaking to say the least with so many known already gone, so many on the verge and many more that are lost every year that have not even been given taxonimic assignment yet.

My last serious field/rearing work with Lepidoptera was all the endemic species found in the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada that are found no where else on earth, and other sensitive species there. These mountians are like an island surrounded by hundreds of miles where sutable habitat does not exist anymore. Believed to be why they have evolved into new sp/ssp. Nine of the 109 species of leps recorded in the Spring Mountains are endemic (and some animals and many plants). Some endemic species there (plant and animal) are presumed extinct now having not been seen for many years. They and others now in a very sensitive state have been in for assignment on the IUCN Red List/ESA for many years. Most local wildlife biologists and lepidopterists' like me belive that all endemic and sensitive sp/spp belong on it with the major habitat loss the last two decades due to drought, wildfires and encroachment. That total inclusion is in progress. I do not know the current status of all in for inclusion, but can add those I do have in my records. Taxonomic names change, so bear with my may not having them all updated on a list I made years ago.

Of highest Lepidopteran concern in this small mountain range are (I removed all site/season data for obvious reason):

Chlosyne acastus robusta (Spring Mountains Acastus Checkerspot)
First proposed for inclusion on 11/21/1991, the last review on 4/13/2011 accepted it for inclusion.

Euphilotes sp. (Bret's Blue)
Spring Mtns phenotype believed in the E. battoides complex.

Euphilotes ancilla purpura (Spring Mountains Dark Blue)

Euphydryas anicia morandi (Morand's Checkerspot)
Has been under constant review for inclusion since 1/89, as of 11/15/1994 accepted for inclusion.

Hemileuca eglanterina - ssp pending (Spring Mountains Elegant Sheepmoth)
Believed extinct. As far as is known, the 3 larva I collected and reared in 1998 where the last seen there. They occurred in huge swarms there as late as in the 80's.

Hesperia colorado mojavensis (Spring Mountains Comma Skipper)

Hesperopsis gracielae (MacNeill Sooty Wing)
Has been under constant review for inclusion since 1/89, as of 11/15/1994 accepted for inclusion.

Icaricia icarioides austinorum ( Spring Mountains Icarioides Blue)
As of 11/15/1994 accepted accepted for inclusion.

Icaricia shasta charlestonensis (Spring Mountains Blue)
As of 11/15/1994 accepted for inclusion, but as of 2005 insighted for a higher level.

Limenitis weidemeyerii nevadae (Nevada Admiral)
Found elsewhere, highly endangered there, and protected in the Spring Mtns by local law. As of 11/15/1994 accepted for inclusion.

Speyeria carolae (Carole's Silverspot)
Has been under constant review for inclusion since 1/89, as of 11/15/1994 accepted for inclusion.


I think all were insighted for a higher level in 2005.

While I do have pictures of all of them, most are under copywrite.

I also have the list of all 64 sp/spp of Lepidoptera that are considered highly sensitive and threatened in Nevada.

As a stricken Parnassian specialist for decades... I assume you already have Parnassius clodius strohbeeni that was formerly found in the Santa Cruz Mountain's of California on your list as extinct.

Hope some of this is new info for you...

Larry

Branden,

Here's a post I made about a month ago. Might be another candidate species for your data base. Unknown if actually extinct, but when you read my post you'll see that it is at least as close as one can get.

Larry

In light of Larry's recent message Re: Tinostoma smaragditis, I thought you might find this URL interesting. Simply took 10 seconds to find on google scholar!

www.iucnredlist.org/details/21913/0/print

Mark

Euphyes bayensis (Hesperiidae) is listed in NatureServe as GH (globally historical - better known as missing in action). It was known from just two coastal spots in Mississippi and Texas, both habitats hit in the same year by hurricanes Rita hit Texas and Katrina literally put the type locality in Mississippi under several feet of ocean.

But it was recently found in Louisiana at a couple of sites as part of an effort by US-Fish and Wildlife Service and their monitoring of potential species for listing as endangered. So all is good...

I described this bug - so I have a vested interest in it.

Shuey

Thankyou very much for those details Shuey. I've acknowledged your help in my database. Could you provide me with any further details about when the last record was before it disappeared from Texas and Mississippi? And when it was relocated in Louisiana? Or any other details at all which may be pertinent?

Regards and Best Wishes,

Branden

I don't know exactly when it was last collected. I was looking at photos of the bug from Texas on a regular basis before the hurricanes hit in the early 2000's. And I know that there have been several efforts specifically to find bayensis since the storms at the two historical sites - with no success.

As to the Louisiana site - I don't know exactly. I was sent photos to confirm ID, and some shots of the habitat (a series of drainage ditches through pretty flat ground. I'm guessing that it is disturbed coastal plain wetland.

Shuey

Hi Larry,


I will post a list of them here later tonight for the benefit of forum members. Perhaps some of them have been rediscovered since I first came across them, and haven't had the time to research any change in status.


If you read the first sentence of my first post again Larry, you'll find the answer