Final Lower Rio Grande Valley and Santa Ana National Wildlife

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Final Lower Rio Grande Valley and Santa Ana National Wildlife Final Lower Rio Grande Valley and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan September 1997 (Reprint March 1999) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Department of the Interior Cover Artwork by Brian Cobble Table of Contents VISION........................................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary................................................................................................................... 6 1.0 Introduction and Regional Setting................................................................................. 8 1.1 LRGV Challenges............................................................................................... 8 2.0 Planning Perspectives and Considerations................................................................ 9 2.1 National Wildlife Refuge System ................................................................... 9 2.2 The Service & Ecosystem Management ...................................................... 9 2.3 Refuge Complex and Management Districts........................................... 10 2.4 Laguna Atascosa NWR -- A Partner with LRGV NWR............................ 10 2.5 Planning Perspectives.................................................................................... 10 2.6 The Issues.......................................................................................................... 11 2.7 The Need for Action......................................................................................... 11 2.8 Expected Planning Outcomes ...................................................................... 12 2.9 Public Involvement .......................................................................................... 13 3.0 Ecosystem and Refuge Resource Description......................................................... 13 3.1 LRGV Area of Ecological Concern General Description....................... 14 3.2. Biotic Communities Designations for Land Acquisition....................... 14 3.3 Wildlife ................................................................................................................ 24 3.4 Climate ................................................................................................................ 25 3.5 Geology............................................................................................................... 26 3.6 Soils..................................................................................................................... 26 3.7 Water Development, Flood Control, and International Boundary Stabilization....................................................................................................... 27 3.8 LRGV Socio-economic Features.................................................................. 30 3.9 Refuge Staffing Needs.................................................................................... 31 4.0 Legal, Policy, and Administrative Guidelines, and Other Special Considerations ............................................................................................................. 33 4.1 Legal Mandates................................................................................................. 33 4.2 Agency-Wide Policy Directions.................................................................... 40 Fish and Wildlife Service Agency Mission................................................ 40 Refuge System: Mission and Goals............................................................ 41 4.3 Refuge Purpose Statements ......................................................................... 42 LRGV NWR Purpose........................................................................................ 42 Santa Ana NWR Purpose ............................................................................... 42 5.0 Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR Management Program.......................................... 42 5.1 Biological Diversity, Land Protection, and Wildlife and Habitat Management ...................................................................................................... 43 A. Acquisition and Land Status Objectives............................................. 43 B. Research Objectives................................................................................. 44 C. Endangered Species Objectives............................................................ 45 D. Revegetation and Habitat Management Objectives ......................... 46 E. Fire Management........................................................................................ 48 F. Law Enforcement ....................................................................................... 49 G. Partnerships and Cooperative Efforts ................................................. 49 5.2 Water Rights, Water Management and the Management of Wetlands ............................................................................................................................... 50 5.3 Water Quality and Contaminants................................................................. 53 5.4 Cultural Resources.......................................................................................... 54 5.5 Public Use, Recreation, and Wildlife Interpretation & Education ....... 55 6.0 Santa Ana NWR Management Program...................................................................... 57 6.1 Biological Diversity, Land Protection, and Wildlife and Habitat Management ...................................................................................................... 57 A. Acquisition and Land Status Objectives............................................. 57 B. Scientific Data Objectives ....................................................................... 57 C. Endangered Species Objectives............................................................ 58 D. Revegetation and Habitat Management Objectives ......................... 58 E. Fire Management........................................................................................ 58 F. Law Enforcement ....................................................................................... 59 G. Partnerships and Cooperative Efforts ................................................. 59 6.2 Water Rights, Water Management and the Management of Wetlands ............................................................................................................................... 59 6.3 Water Quality and Contaminants................................................................. 60 6.4 Cultural Resources.......................................................................................... 61 6.5 Public Use, Recreation, and Wildlife Interpretation & Education ....... 61 7.0 Refuge Management Strategies by District............................................................... 63 7.1 Starr County District Strategies................................................................... 63 7.2 Southern Hidalgo District Strategies.......................................................... 64 Santa Ana NWR Specific Strategies ........................................................... 65 7.3 Cameron County District Strategies........................................................... 69 7.4 Upper Hidalgo and Willacy County District Strategies.......................... 70 Appendix .................................................................................................................................... 72 Butterflies of the LRGV/Santa Ana NWR Complex ............................................. 73 Fishes of the LRGV/Santa Ana NWR Complex .................................................... 81 Amphibians of LRGV NWR / Santa Ana NWR Complex .................................... 83 Reptiles of LRGV NWR / Santa Ana NWR Complex............................................ 84 Birds of the LRGV/ Santa Ana NWR Complex...................................................... 86 Mammals of The LRGV/ Santa Ana NWR Complex ........................................... 98 Plant Species List .......................................................................................................... 101 FEDERAL LISTING BY COUNTY ........................................................................................ 119 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 120 MAPS.......................................................................................................................................... 124 VISION Few wild places in the Western Hemisphere exhibit such a diversity of flora, fauna and geomorphic conditions as the lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas. Its remnant natural habitats thrive along side social and economic activities. This can be a great advantage over the next twenty years if conservation and development activities are well coordinated. Still, few wild places have the opportunity for recovery from the brink of extinction. The Lower Rio Grande Valley and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuges include some of the last parcels of subtropical thorn forests in the U.S. and they represent the best chance for their protection and recovery. Ultimately, they will help form a functioning corridor to sustain the unique flora and fauna of the Texas/Mexico border. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Refuge will someday be 132,500 acres of mostly contiguous tracts
Recommended publications
  • Volume 12 - Number 1 March 2005
    Utah Lepidopterist Bulletin of the Utah Lepidopterists' Society Volume 12 - Number 1 March 2005 Extreme Southwest Utah Could See Iridescent Greenish-blue Flashes A Little Bit More Frequently by Col. Clyde F. Gillette Battus philenor (blue pipevine swallowtail) flies in the southern two- thirds of Arizona; in the Grand Canyon (especially at such places as Phantom Ranch 8/25 and Indian Gardens 12/38) and at its rims [(N) 23/75 and (S) 21/69]; in the low valleys of Clark Co., Nevada; and infrequently along the Meadow Valley Wash 7/23 which parallels the Utah/Nevada border in Lincoln Co., Nevada. Since this beautiful butterfly occasionally flies to the west, southwest, and south of Utah's southwest corner, one might expect it to turn up now and then in Utah's Mojave Desert physiographic subsection of the Basin and Range province on the lower southwest slopes of the Beaver Dam Mountains, Battus philenor Blue Pipevine Swallowtail Photo courtesy of Randy L. Emmitt www.rlephoto.com or sporadically fly up the "Dixie Corridor" along the lower Virgin River Valley. Even though both of these Lower Sonoran life zone areas reasons why philenor is not a habitual pipevine species.) Arizona's of Utah offer potentially suitable, resident of Utah's Dixie. But I think interesting plant is Aristolochia "nearby" living conditions for Bat. there is basically only one, and that is watsonii (indianroot pipevine), which phi. philenor, such movements have a complete lack of its larval has alternate leaves shaped like a not often taken place. Or, more foodplants in the region.
    [Show full text]
  • Reading the Complex Skipper Butterfly Fauna of One Tropical Place
    Reading the Complex Skipper Butterfly Fauna of One Tropical Place Daniel H. Janzen1*, Winnie Hallwachs1, John M. Burns2, Mehrdad Hajibabaei3, Claudia Bertrand3, Paul D. N. Hebert3 1 Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, 2 Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., United States of America, 3 Department of Integrative Biology, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada Abstract Background: An intense, 30-year, ongoing biodiversity inventory of Lepidoptera, together with their food plants and parasitoids, is centered on the rearing of wild-caught caterpillars in the 120,000 terrestrial hectares of dry, rain, and cloud forest of Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. Since 2003, DNA barcoding of all species has aided their identification and discovery. We summarize the process and results for a large set of the species of two speciose subfamilies of ACG skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae) and emphasize the effectiveness of barcoding these species (which are often difficult and time-consuming to identify). Methodology/Principal Findings: Adults are DNA barcoded by the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Guelph, Canada; and they are identified by correlating the resulting COI barcode information with more traditional information such as food plant, facies, genitalia, microlocation within ACG, caterpillar traits, etc. This process has found about 303 morphologically defined species of eudamine and pyrgine Hesperiidae breeding in ACG (about 25% of the ACG butterfly fauna) and another 44 units indicated by distinct barcodes (n = 9,094), which may be additional species and therefore may represent as much as a 13% increase.
    [Show full text]
  • INSECTA MUNDIA Journal of World Insect Systematics
    INSECTA MUNDI A Journal of World Insect Systematics 0506 Annotated checklist and biogeographic composition of the Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera) of Trinidad, West Indies Matthew J.W. Cock CABI, Bakeham Lane Egham, Surrey, TW20 9TY United Kingdom Robert K. Robbins Smithsonian Institution PO Box 37012, NHB Stop 105 (E-514) Washington, DC 20013-7012 USA Date of Issue: October 21, 2016 CENTER FOR SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY, INC., Gainesville, FL Matthew J.W. Cock and Robert K. Robbins Annotated checklist and biogeographic composition of the Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera) of Trinidad, West Indies Insecta Mundi 0506: 1–33 ZooBank Registered: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:37A7668A-0D83-4DB0-BD28-C36302F18398 Published in 2016 by Center for Systematic Entomology, Inc. P. O. Box 141874 Gainesville, FL 32614-1874 USA http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/ Insecta Mundi is a journal primarily devoted to insect systematics, but articles can be published on any non-marine arthropod. Topics considered for publication include systematics, taxonomy, nomenclature, checklists, faunal works, and natural history. Insecta Mundi will not consider works in the applied sciences (i.e. medical entomology, pest control research, etc.), and no longer publishes book reviews or editorials. Insecta Mundi publishes original research or discoveries in an inexpensive and timely manner, distributing them free via open access on the internet on the date of publication. Insecta Mundi is referenced or abstracted by several sources including the Zoological Record, CAB Ab- stracts, etc. Insecta Mundi is published irregularly throughout the year, with completed manuscripts assigned an individual number. Manuscripts must be peer reviewed prior to submission, after which they are reviewed by the editorial board to ensure quality.
    [Show full text]
  • Origins of Six Species of Butterflies Migrating Through Northeastern
    diversity Article Origins of Six Species of Butterflies Migrating through Northeastern Mexico: New Insights from Stable Isotope (δ2H) Analyses and a Call for Documenting Butterfly Migrations Keith A. Hobson 1,2,*, Jackson W. Kusack 2 and Blanca X. Mora-Alvarez 2 1 Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 0H3, Canada 2 Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, ON N6A 5B7, Canada; [email protected] (J.W.K.); [email protected] (B.X.M.-A.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Determining migratory connectivity within and among diverse taxa is crucial to their conservation. Insect migrations involve millions of individuals and are often spectacular. However, in general, virtually nothing is known about their structure. With anthropogenically induced global change, we risk losing most of these migrations before they are even described. We used stable hydrogen isotope (δ2H) measurements of wings of seven species of butterflies (Libytheana carinenta, Danaus gilippus, Phoebis sennae, Asterocampa leilia, Euptoieta claudia, Euptoieta hegesia, and Zerene cesonia) salvaged as roadkill when migrating in fall through a narrow bottleneck in northeast Mexico. These data were used to depict the probabilistic origins in North America of six species, excluding the largely local E. hegesia. We determined evidence for long-distance migration in four species (L. carinenta, E. claudia, D. glippus, Z. cesonia) and present evidence for panmixia (Z. cesonia), chain (Libytheana Citation: Hobson, K.A.; Kusack, J.W.; Mora-Alvarez, B.X. Origins of Six carinenta), and leapfrog (Danaus gilippus) migrations in three species. Our investigation underlines Species of Butterflies Migrating the utility of the stable isotope approach to quickly establish migratory origins and connectivity in through Northeastern Mexico: New butterflies and other insect taxa, especially if they can be sampled at migratory bottlenecks.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution and Ontology 1 This Is a Final Manuscript in Press: To
    Evolution and Ontology 1 This is a Final Manuscript In Press: To appear in the International Journal of Science Education The Nature of Naive Explanations of Natural Selection Michel Ferrari & Michelene T.H. Chi Learning Research and Development Center University of Pittsburgh [email protected] Running head: Evolution and Ontology Address correspondence to: Michelene T.H Chi Learning Research and Development Center 3939 O’Hara Street Pittsburgh, PA 15260 email: [email protected] 31 March 1998 Evolution and Ontology 2 Abstract Unlike some pivotal ideas in the history of science, the basic notion of natural selection is remarkably simple and so one might expect most students to easily grasp the basic principles of the Darwinian theory; yet many students nevertheless have difficulty understanding Darwinian evolution. We suggest that misconceptions about natural selection arise from mistaken categorization. Our thesis for explaining students’ failure to understand this concept, or evolution in general, is not that they necessarily fail to understand individual Darwinian principles; rather, they often fail to understand the ontological features of equilibration processes, of which evolution is one instance. They thus attribute the evolutionary process in general, and natural selection in particular, with event-like properties. For example, naive students appear to focus on the idea of survival of the fittest, but embed this idea within an event ontology that involves actors struggling to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. Results showed that most naive subjects’ evolutionary explanations reflected an event ontology. Furthermore, event ontology attributes were positively correlated with Non-darwinian explanations; by contrast, equilibration attributes, when present, were positively correlated with key Darwinian principles.
    [Show full text]
  • A Molecular Phylogeny of the Neotropical Butterfly Genus Anartia
    MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 26 (2003) 46–55 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev A molecular phylogeny of the neotropical butterfly genus Anartia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Michael J. Blum,a,b,* Eldredge Bermingham,b and Kanchon Dasmahapatrab,c a Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA b Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Naos Island Molecular Laboratories, Unit 0948, APO-AA 34002-0948, Panama, FL, USA c Department of Biology, Galton Laboratory, University College, 4 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HE, UK Received 2 August 2001; received in revised form 17 June 2002 Abstract While Anartia butterflies have served as model organisms for research on the genetics of speciation, no phylogeny has been published to describe interspecific relationships. Here, we present a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Anartia species relationships, using both mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Analyses of both data sets confirm earlier predictions of sister species pairings based primarily on genital morphology. Yet both the mitochondrial and nuclear gene phylogenies demonstrate that Anartia jatrophae is not sister to all other Anartia species, but rather that it is sister to the Anartia fatima–Anartia amathea lineage. Traditional bi- ogeographic explanations for speciation across the genus relied on A. jatrophae being sister to its congeners. These explanations invoked allopatric divergence of sister species pairs and multiple sympatric speciation events to explain why A. jatrophae flies alongside all its congeners. The molecular phylogenies are more consistent with lineage divergence due to vicariance, and range expansion of A. jatrophae to explain its sympatry with congeners. Further interpretations of the tree topologies also suggest how morphological evolution and eco-geographic adaptation may have set species range boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Annotated Checklist of the Butterflies of Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State
    AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA: RHOPALOCERA) OF BENTSEN-RIO GRANDE STATE VALLEY PARK AND VICINITY JUNE, 1974 Published by TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT BENTSEN-RIO GRANDE VALLEY STATE PARK P.O. 30X 988; MISSION, TEXAS 78572 INTRODUCTION The species listed here in are primarily a result of the collecting by the authors during the period 1972-1973. Certain important records of the previous several years are also included. Additionally, the checklist incorporates records of a number of other lepidopterists. The primary focus of the checklist, then, is upon recent collecting, rather than being an attempt to list all known records from the Mid-Valley area. All lepidopterists collecting in the park and vicinity are urged to send copies of their records to the authors and/or the park authorities. A number of species on the list have been taken in Hidalgo Co. but not yet within the actual confines of the park; the annotations will indicate which species these are. Some of these have been taken at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, approximately thirty miles down river, in habitats similar to those within the park. Others have been taken within several miles of the park, in nearby towns and along roadsides. These species can be reasonably expected to occur in the park, and their inclusion upon this list should alert the collector to their possible presence. The annotations have been kept necessarily brief. They are intended to aid the visiting lepidopterist in evaluating the significance of his catches. Local larval food plants are given where known. Much, however, is still to be learned regarding the life histories of even some of the commoner species.
    [Show full text]
  • Impacts of Invasive Alliaria Petiolata on Two Native Pieridae Butterflies, Anthocharis Midea and Pieris Virginiensis
    Wright State University CORE Scholar Browse all Theses and Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 2017 Impacts of Invasive Alliaria Petiolata on Two Native Pieridae Butterflies, Anthocharis Midea and Pieris Virginiensis Danielle Marie Thiemann Wright State University Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/etd_all Part of the Biology Commons Repository Citation Thiemann, Danielle Marie, "Impacts of Invasive Alliaria Petiolata on Two Native Pieridae Butterflies, Anthocharis Midea and Pieris Virginiensis" (2017). Browse all Theses and Dissertations. 1849. https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/etd_all/1849 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Browse all Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. IMPACTS OF INVASIVE ALLIARIA PETIOLATA ON TWO NATIVE PERIDAE BUTTERFLIES, ANTHOCHARIS MIDEA AND PIERIS VIRGINIENSIS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science By DANIELLE MARIE THIEMANN B.S., University of Dayton, 2014 2017 Wright State University WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL April 20, 2017 I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY Danielle Marie Thiemann ENTITLED Impacts of Invasive Alliaria petiolata on Two Native Pieridae Butterflies, Anthocharis midea and Pieris virginiensis BE ACCEPTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIRMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Science. ____________________________________ Donald F. Cipollini, Ph.D. Thesis Director ____________________________________ David L. Goldstein, Ph.D., Chair Department of Biological Sciences Committee on Final Examination ___________________________________ Donald F. Cipollini, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • An Addendum to Anthocharis Midea Dos Passos and Klots 1969
    Volume 1 1 October 1998 Number 1 The Taxonomic Report OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEPIDOPTERA SURVEY AN ADDENDUM TO ANTHOCHARIS MIDEA DOS PASSOS AND KLOTS 1969. (DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM TEXAS.) RONALD R. GATRELLE1 126 Wells Road, Goose Creek, South Carolina 29445 ABSTRACT. This paper verifies and expands upon the information presented by dos Passos and Klots in their 1969 systematic revision of Anthocharis midea. Their restriction of the range of A. midea midea to the coastal islands and immediate coast of Georgia and South Carolina is confirmed and expanded north into southern coastal North Carolina. Their range of A. m. annickae is expanded southward from Virginia to central Georgia. A new subspecies, A. midea texana, is described from Texas. Texana is annickae’s ancestor. It differs from annickae only in having greatly reduced black scaling at the base of the dorsal wings. Klots’ theory that midea midea is descended from an extinct Florida ancestor is confirmed. Midea (coastal) and annickae (Sandhills) occur within 40 km of each other in Georgia and South Carolina. Midea is confirmed to not only be characterized by expanded orange of the dorsal FW of males, but also by frequent orange on the dorsal HW apex of males, and by females with frequent orange scaling on the dorsal FW apex. Additional key words: Biogeographical evolution, convergent evolution. C. F. dos Passos and A. B. Klots (1969) surveyed the phenetic variation of Anthocharis midea (Hübner) throughout its range. This present article is an addendum to their research, and merely confirms and expands their original findings.
    [Show full text]
  • INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) DE GUATEMALA CON UNA RESEÑA HISTÓRICA Towards a Synthesis of the Papilionoidea (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from Guatemala with a Historical Sketch
    ZOOLOGÍA-TAXONOMÍA www.unal.edu.co/icn/publicaciones/caldasia.htm Caldasia 31(2):407-440. 2009 HACIA UNA SÍNTESIS DE LOS PAPILIONOIDEA (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) DE GUATEMALA CON UNA RESEÑA HISTÓRICA Towards a synthesis of the Papilionoidea (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from Guatemala with a historical sketch JOSÉ LUIS SALINAS-GUTIÉRREZ El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). Unidad Chetumal. Av. Centenario km. 5.5, A. P. 424, C. P. 77900. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México, México. [email protected] CLAUDIO MÉNDEZ Escuela de Biología, Universidad de San Carlos, Ciudad Universitaria, Campus Central USAC, Zona 12. Guatemala, Guatemala. [email protected] MERCEDES BARRIOS Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas (CECON), Universidad de San Carlos, Avenida La Reforma 0-53, Zona 10, Guatemala, Guatemala. [email protected] CARMEN POZO El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). Unidad Chetumal. Av. Centenario km. 5.5, A. P. 424, C. P. 77900. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México, México. [email protected] JORGE LLORENTE-BOUSQUETS Museo de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM. Apartado Postal 70-399, México D.F. 04510; México. [email protected]. Autor responsable. RESUMEN La riqueza biológica de Mesoamérica es enorme. Dentro de esta gran área geográfi ca se encuentran algunos de los ecosistemas más diversos del planeta (selvas tropicales), así como varios de los principales centros de endemismo en el mundo (bosques nublados). Países como Guatemala, en esta gran área biogeográfi ca, tiene grandes zonas de bosque húmedo tropical y bosque mesófi lo, por esta razón es muy importante para analizar la diversidad en la región. Lamentablemente, la fauna de mariposas de Guatemala es poco conocida y por lo tanto, es necesario llevar a cabo un estudio y análisis de la composición y la diversidad de las mariposas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) en Guatemala.
    [Show full text]
  • Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in a Coastal Plain Area in the State of Paraná, Brazil
    62 TROP. LEPID. RES., 26(2): 62-67, 2016 LEVISKI ET AL.: Butterflies in Paraná Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in a coastal plain area in the state of Paraná, Brazil Gabriela Lourenço Leviski¹*, Luziany Queiroz-Santos¹, Ricardo Russo Siewert¹, Lucy Mila Garcia Salik¹, Mirna Martins Casagrande¹ and Olaf Hermann Hendrik Mielke¹ ¹ Laboratório de Estudos de Lepidoptera Neotropical, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19.020, 81.531-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]٭ Abstract: The coastal plain environments of southern Brazil are neglected and poorly represented in Conservation Units. In view of the importance of sampling these areas, the present study conducted the first butterfly inventory of a coastal area in the state of Paraná. Samples were taken in the Floresta Estadual do Palmito, from February 2014 through January 2015, using insect nets and traps for fruit-feeding butterfly species. A total of 200 species were recorded, in the families Hesperiidae (77), Nymphalidae (73), Riodinidae (20), Lycaenidae (19), Pieridae (7) and Papilionidae (4). Particularly notable records included the rare and vulnerable Pseudotinea hemis (Schaus, 1927), representing the lowest elevation record for this species, and Temenis huebneri korallion Fruhstorfer, 1912, a new record for Paraná. These results reinforce the need to direct sampling efforts to poorly inventoried areas, to increase knowledge of the distribution and occurrence patterns of butterflies in Brazil. Key words: Atlantic Forest, Biodiversity, conservation, inventory, species richness. INTRODUCTION the importance of inventories to knowledge of the fauna and its conservation, the present study inventoried the species of Faunal inventories are important for providing knowledge butterflies of the Floresta Estadual do Palmito.
    [Show full text]
  • Butterflies and Moths List
    Lepidoptera of Kirchoff Family Farm Baseline Survey October 29-30, 2012 Butterflies & Moths Host Plant Species Present Date Butterflies Observed On Larval Host Plants Kirchoff FF observed Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails) Pipevine Swallowtail - Battus philenor Spiny Aster Pipevine √ Oct. 30, 2012 Family Pieridae (Whites & Sulfurs) Cloudless Sulfur - Phoebis sennae Spiny Aster Legumes, clovers, peas √ Oct. 29, 2012 Dainty Sulfur - Nathalis iole Spiny Aster Asters, other Com;posites √ Oct. 29, 2012 Little Yellow Sulfur - Eurema lisa Indian Mallow Legumes, partridge pea √ Oct. 29, 2012 Lyside Sulfur - Kirgonia lyside Spiny Aster Guayacan or Soapbush √ Oct. 29, 2012 Orange Sulfur - Colias eurytheme Spiny Aster Legumes √ Sept. 26, 2007 Family Lycaenidae (Gossamer Winged) Cassius Blue - Leptotes cassius Spiny Aster Legumes √ Oct. 30, 2012 Ceraunus Blue - Hemiargus ceraunus Kidney wood Legumes- Acacia, Mesquite √ Oct. 30, 2012 Fatal Metalmark - Calephelis nemesis Spiny Aster Baccharis, Clematis √ Oct. 29, 2012 Gray Hairstreak - Strymon melinus Frostweed, Aster Many flowering plants √ Oct. 29, 2012 Great Purple Hairstreak - Atlides halesus Spiny Aster Mistletoe (in oak/mesquite) √ Oct. 29, 2012 Marine Blue - Leptotes marina Frogfruit Legumes- Acacia, Mesquite √ Oct. 30, 2012 Family Nymphalidae (Nymphalids) American Snout - Libytheana carinenta Spiny Aster Hackberries √ Oct. 29, 2012 Bordered Patch - Chlosyne lacinia Zexmenia Ragweed, Sunflower √ Oct. 29, 2012 Common Mestra - Mestra amymone Frostweed Noseburn (Tragia spp.) X Oct. 29, 2012 Empress Leila - Asterocampa leilia Spiny Aster Spiny Hackberry √ Oct. 29, 2012 Gulf Fritillary - Agraulis vanillae Spiny Aster Passion Vine X Oct. 29, 2012 Hackberry Emperor - Asterocampa celtis spiny Hackberry Hackberries √ Oct. 29, 2012 Painted Lady - Vanessa cardui Pink Smartweed Mallows & Thistles √ Oct. 29, 2012 Pearl Crescent - Phycoides tharos Spiny Aster Asters √ Oct.
    [Show full text]