COSSARO Candidate Species at Risk Evaluation Form. for. Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis)

Transcription

1 COSSARO Candidate Species at Risk Evaluation Form for Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) Assessed June 2010 by COSSARO as Extirpated June 2010 Final

2 2 PART 1 COSSARO Candidate Species at Risk Evaluation Form June 2010 Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) Current Designations: G-RANK G5T2 (reviewed 25 January 2005; NatureServe 2007) COSEWIC Extirpated (Designated Extirpated in April Status re-examined and confirmed in 2000 and 2010.) SARA Extirpated Schedule 1 NRANK NX General Status Canada Not Assessed (CESCC 2006) MNR (SARO List) Extirpated (O. Reg. 373/10) SRANK SX General Status Ontario At Risk (CESCC 2006) Distribution and Status Outside Ontario Occurs or occurred in a limited range primarily in Great Lakes jurisdictions from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa east to Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Now extremely rare in most jurisdictions and extirpated in Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Rare to uncommon (S3) only in Wisconsin. Listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1992 (USFWS 2003; NatureServe 2007). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Native Status (1.1.1) yes (Formerly known in Ontario from five sites in native oak savannah on the Rice Lake Plains, at High Park and Lambton Mills in Toronto, near St. Williams, Norfolk Co., near London, and in the Port Franks-The Pinery Provincial Park area of Lambton Co. It persisted at St. Williams and Port Franks-The Pinery until 1988, when the species was eliminated by a prolonged drought. The species has not been reliably reported in the province for 19 years [38 generations] despite repeated searches by knowledgeable observers at these and other sites with stands of Lupinus perennis which formerly supported the species. Several lepidopterists continue to frequent the Port-Franks-The Pinery and St. Williams locations and it is therefore unlikely that the species could persist there without detection.) Taxonomic Distinctness (1.1.2) yes (All literature and recent electrophoretic work suggest that this is a valid subspecific taxon, rather than a full species. Recent research suggests that the genus Lycaeides may not be valid, and that the Karner Blue belongs in the genus Plebejus (NatureServe 2007).)

3 3 PRIMARY CRITERIA Global Rank (1) END (G5T2) Global Decline (2) END (Long term decline of 75-90% rangewide. Short term decline [since 1970s] of 30%, although most populations now stable or with periodic fluctuations of up to 10% (NatureServe 2007) Rarity in Northeastern North America (3) END (The Karner Blue is ranked as extremely rare [SX, SH, or S2] in 13 of 14 (93%) northeastern North American jurisdictions where it ocurs or occurred and has been ranked. It is ranked as rare to uncommon [S3] in Wisconsin [NatureServe 2007]. Decline in Northeastern North America (4) END (Long term decline of 75-90% rangewide. Short term decline [since 1970s] of 30%, although most populations now stable (NatureServe 2007)) Number of Provincial Populations (5) END (None extant. Formerly occurred at five sites, most recently at St. Williams Forest, Norfolk Co. and in the Port Franks-The Pinery Provincial Park, Lambton Co. areas, where it was last reliably reported in 1988, despite repeated searches.). Provincial Decline (6) END (None extant. Formerly occurred at five sites, most recently at St. Williams Forest, Norfolk Co. and in the Port Franks-The Pinery Provincial Park, Lambton Co. areas, where it was last reliably reported in 1988, despite repeated searches.) Ontario s Share (7) not in any category (Criterion does not apply. Ontario population represented <1% of global population) SECONDARY CRITERIA Population Sustainability (8) Protection/Exploitation Status (9) not in any category (Species is currently afforded protection under the Ontario Endangered Species Act)

4 4 Human Threats (10) Life History and Habitat Use Characteristics (11) Mortality trends (12) COSSARO CRITERIA MET (primary/secondary) Endangered 6/0 Threatened 0/0 Special Concern 0/0 SUMMARY Known historically in Ontario from remnant oak savannahs at five sites: Rice Lake Plains, Toronto, St. Williams, London, and Port Franks-The Pinery. It has not been reliably reported at any site in the province since 1988, despite repeated searches of the historical sites of occurrence and other sites supporting populations of Lupinus perennis, the species larval host. While there are no data to suggest that a change in status is currently required, some groups (e.g. Karner Blue Recovery Team, Metro Toronto Zoo, Nature Conservancy Canada) have discussed reintroducing the species and/or participated in the recovery of its habitat in Ontario. Information Sources Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council (CESCC) Wild Species 2005: The General Status of Species in Canada. Carson, P. J Status Report on the Karner Blue Butterfly, Lycaeides melissa samuelis Nabokov (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Canada. 22 pp. COSEWIC Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada [web application], Date Published: , Last Update: Available at: (Accessed: October 22, 2007). NatureServe NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 6.2. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available (Accessed: October 22, 2007).

5 USFWS Karner Blue Butterfly, Lycaeides melissa samuelis, Recovery Plan. Prepared by the Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Team for Region 3, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, Minnesota. 134 pp. + appendices. 5

6 6 Appendix I. NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA RANKS (NatureServe 2007) Illinois Indiana Iowa SNR (but reported to be extirpated [USFWS 2003]) Maine SX Maryland Massachusetts SX Michigan S2 Minnesota New Hampshire New York Ohio Ontario SX Pennsylvania SX Wisconsin S3 Occurs in 14 of 29 northeastern jurisdictions Srank or equivalent information available for 14 of 14 jurisdictions (100%), S2, SH, or SX in 13 of 14 (93%)