By: Carolyn Adams
Professor Needles, BIO 227 Fall '15
Ecology
The Quino Checkerspot Butterfly is a subspecies of the
Edith’s Checkerspot, yet differs from other subspecies in physical appearance,
including wing color and size. The Quino has the scientific name of Euphydryas
editha quino. It is in the subfamily of Melitaeinae, which refers to
checkerspots, and derives from the family Nymphalidae, which are brush-footed
butterflies. Other species within the Edith’s checkerspot, especially the bay
checkerspot, have been used to gather information as far as the recovery plan
and critical habitat. This is due to the several ecological and biological
similarities between them. Both the bay and Quino checkerspot are endangered,
share host plant species, and have similar patch dispersal behavior.
http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Nymphalidae/Nymphalinae/Euphydryas_editha_quino/Euphydryas_editha_quino_Otay_Mt_San_Diego_Co_CA_USA_21-I-05_MK_2005.JPG
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/4/7/1396864445322/Quino-checkerspot-butterf-010.jpg
The Quino checkerspot butterfly’s life cycle consists
of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The larvae are black with orange
hairy backs, and have 5 to 7 periods of shedding skin. The pupae are black and
blue-gray. The adult Quino checkerspots have black, red, and cream checkered
wings, with just red and cream colors on the underside, and red stripes across
the abdomen. The adults come in one generation per year, with a lifespan of
only 10 to 14 days within the 1- to 2-month flight season between late February
and May, and have a wingspan of about 4 cm.
Location
and Habitat
Quino checkerspot butterflies occur in the
California/Nevada Region, especially in Southern California.
Quino checkerspot butterflies have been found to
diapause near dense grass and shrub cover. Evidence shows that they prefer
low-growing vegetation interspersed with barren spots because not much flight
occurs below the canopy of vegetation. Quino checkerspots have been found near the vegetation types of coastal sage scrub, open chaparral, juniper woodland, and
native grassland. Some local populations are seen about
hilltops as these are the best mating and breeding areas.
Quino checkerspot butterfly populations mostly occur
in metapopulations, as the success rate is higher than isolated habitat
patches. Local habitat patch populations are linked through extirpation and
mutual recolonization, which occur every 10 to 40 years. These habitat patch
distributions are found primarily on nectar and oviposition plants, as well as
basking sites. Oviposition plants of Quino checkerspot include dwarf plantain (Plantago erecta), which have soils with
cryptogamic crusts or finely-textured clay, woolly plantain (Plantago patagonica), and white
snapdragon (Anterrhinum coulterianum).
The most important characterisitics of the host plants are exposure to solar
radiation and timing of development (phenology). The ideal host plant is
surrounded by bare ground or sparse low-growing vegetation, is in full
sunlight, and remains edible for about 8 weeks.
Threats and Listing
The main threats of the Quino checkerspot butterfly
are urban and agricultural development, grazing, off-road vehicle use,
non-native plant species invasion, and fire management practices. In addition,
increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, climate change, increased
nitrogen disposition, illegal trash dumping, and predation have led to
population decline. The number one threat is urban development because it
results in habitat fragmentation and host/nectar plant removal which reduces
habitat quality. A small threat is over-collection by butterfly dealers and
hobbyists however there is no recorded measurements of its magnitude. Quino butterfly populations have been reduced by more than 95 percent range-wide.
The first petition to list the Quino checkerspot
butterfly as endangered was published on August 4, 1994 in the Federal
Register. The final rule listing the Quino checkerspot as endangered was
published January 16, 1997. Several years later the department was given until April
4, 2002 to complete the final designation of the Quino checkerspot butterfly’s
critical habitat.
Recovery Plan
The recovery plan of the Quino checkerspot butterfly focuses
on biological factors, political boundaries, and ongoing conservation efforts.
In short, recovery and conservation is achievable through the protection and
recovery of the butterfly’s habitat, and establishment of a captive breeding
program. In full, “downlisting of the Quino checkerspot butterfly is contingent
upon the following criteria: (1) Permanently protect habitat within occurrence
complexes in a configuration designed to support resilient populations; (2)
conduct research on population distribution and dynamics; (3) permanently
provide for and implement management of occurrence complexes to restore habitat
quality and population resilience; (4) demonstrate evidence of population
resilience in core occurrence complexes; (5) document or introduce an
additional population in the Lake Matthews site, and demonstrate population
resilience for at least one population outside current recovery units; (6)
establish and maintain a captive propagation program for purposes of
re-introduction and augmentation of wild populations, maintenance of refugia
populations, and research; and (7) initiate and implement a cooperative
outreach program targeting areas where Quino checkerspot populations are most
threatened.”
Source: http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr4177.pdf
Ways
to Help
The number one way the public can help preserve the
species of the Quino checkerspot butterfly is to simply preserve its habitat.
By refraining from off-road vehicle use, and lessening our carbon footprint, we
can save the butterfly’s habitat. Reduced urban and agricultural development
within the butterfly’s habitat would also be a significant contributing factor.
Some counties such as San Diego and Orange County already have habitat conservation
plans for the Quino checkerspot butterfly.
Works
Cited
“Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Quino Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas
editha quino).” 15 April. 2002. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr3862.pdf>
“Species Profile for Quino Checkerspot Butterfly
(Euphydryas Editha Quino (=e. E. Wrighti)).” Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=I00P>
“Recovery Plan for the Quino Checkerspot
Butterfly.” 17 Sept. 2003. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr4177.pdf>
<http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/030917.pdf>
<http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/030917.pdf>
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