GENERAL NOTES Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 55(4),2001, 169-171 NEWLY DISCOVERED POPULATIONS AND FOOD PLANTS EXTEND THE RANGE OF THE ENDANGERED QUINO CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY, EUPHYDRYAS EDITHA QUINO (NYMPHALIDAE) IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Additional key words: Plantago, Castilleja, Antirrhinurrt, Coniylantiws, Serophlllariaceae, Orobanchaceae, Veronicaceae, The federally endangered quino checkerspot (Eu­ nizcd e]evational (100-1000 m) range (GFP & EWII phyclr~fas eclitha quino (Behr) is restricted to the pel's, obs" McMillan pers, com,), Many of the occu­ coastal slope of southwestern California, When the pied sites support the larval host plant Plantago erecta quino checkerspot was petitioned for listing in 1988, it Morris (Veronicaceae), and a suspected alternate host was already believed extinct, However, severa] popula­ plant, Castilleja exserta (A, A, Heller) Chuang & tions were detected in the early 1990's in southwestern Heckard (Orobanchaceae) (see Olmstead et aL 2001 Riverside County (Oak Mountain, Murrieta Hot [or new plant families), Similar to E. e, editha (Boisdu­ Springs, and Te mecula) and north-central San Diego val) (formerly E. e, bayensis), we believed these two County (Oak Grove), Furthermore, a year before the plants and other Veronicaceae and Orobanchaceae species was listed as endangered on January 16, 1997 might be important for population survival of the (Rogers 1997), several quino checkerspots were ob­ quino checkerspot (Singer 1971, 1972), served on the western slopes of Otay Mountain in East of Aguanga, the elevations of the valleys rapidly southwestern San Diego County. Since then, addi­ climb above 1000 m, For this reason, the area had not tional quino checkerspot populations have been found been surveyed during much of the quino checkerspot in southeastern (Jacumba) and south central (west flight season, However, Castilleja exserla was observed Tecate Peak) San Diego County (Mattoni et al. 1997), in early May 1998 growing abundantly throughout an All of the known historical records of the quino area east of Aguanga and south of Anza, well above checkerspot (i. e" captures and observations) were 1000 m (M, Shaughnessy pers, ), One of us (GFP) sur­ used to infer the elevational range and habitat associa­ veyed the area on 20 May 1998, to determine the suit­ tions (e,g" Mattoni et al. 1997), The historical records ability of habitat and the likelihood of quino occu­ placed the quino checkerspot from the coast to a few pancy During the survey, two male quino were high-elevation sites, including Black Star Canyon (625 collected, one south of Anza near 1200 m and the m) in Orange County, Gavilan Hills (660 m ) and Sage other east of Iron Springs Mountain at approximately (765 m) in Riverside County, and San Miguel Moun­ 1500 m elevation (Fig, 1), Both specimens have been tain (660 m), western Mount Palomar (940 m ), placed as vouchers in the Entomology Research Mu­ Jacumba Peak (1050 m), and Tecate Peak (1200 m) in seum at the University of California, Riverside, CA, San Diego County. These higher-elevation observa­ These checkerspots were a significant eastward range tions (> 1000 m) were of hilltopping males on the high­ and elevational extension for the species; even the val­ est peaks in the area, The food plants and hutterBies leys in this area were largely above 1200 m elevation, were largely believed to occur well below 1000 m in Other new populations, including additional sites in the surrounding valleys, Also it was assumed that the the Anza area, have extended the range of quino quino checkerspot was restricted to open clay flats in checkerspot populations (Fig, 1), the following hahitats: native grasslands, coastal sage The habitat for both the south of Anza and Iron scrub, scattered juniper woodland, and chaparraL Springs Mountains sites were largely red shank Intensive and extensive quino checkcrspot surveys (Adenostoma sparsifolium Torr" Rosaceae) chaparral, (> 1300 man hours) were conducted during the 1998 with other scattered chaparral bushes such as oaks spring flight season to document presence/absence, (Quercus sp" Fagaceae), mountain mahogany (Cer­ relative abundance, and distribution of the butterfly in cocarpus betuloides Nutt, ex T & G" Rosaceae), and Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, and San Diego Coun­ buckthorns (Ceanothus sp" Rhamnaceae), Interest­ ties, Because most of the known records of the species ingly, no Plantago species was observed within sev­ were below 1000 m, with higher-elevation records rep­ eral hundred m of either of these sites, Instead resenting hilltopping males, surveys we re concen­ Antirrhinum coulterianum Benth, in DC. (Veroni­ trated below this elevation, A number of new sites for caceae) was found common at the south of Anza site, the specics were documented, hut all within its recog- and Collinsia concolor Greene (Veronicaceae ) and 170 JOURNAL OF THE LEPIDOPTERISTS' SOCIETY ----- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------- -----~ Los Angeles County Ventura County San Bernardino County Riverside County Pacific Ocean NNewRange N San Diego ,-"-_:' Historical Known Range County , o' New Populations • 1998 (still occupied) Historic (pre-1998) A 10 20 30 Miles Data Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service I Teale Data Center FIC. 1. New populations and infe rred range of the quina checkers pot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) in southern California. The range extension was extrapolated fro m the higher elevation sites found near Anza, California. Castilleja exserta were detected at the Iron Springs May, 2001, an additional 40 males and six females Mountain site. These three plants support larval de­ were obselved, while between 9 and 28 May, 2001, velopment of the quino checkerspot to the adult in 134 larval clusters were observed on Antirrhinurn the laboratory (GFP unpubl. data). Furthermore, coulterianum and none on Plantago patagonica, even Collinsia spp. and Castilleja spp. are larval food though thousands of Plantago were searched (GFP plants for other Euphydryas editha subspecies pers.obs.). (Singer 1971, 1972, 1982, White 1974, Garth & We believe these new populations are not a new Tilden 1986). Euphydryas editha subspecies. They are similar in Additional quino checkerspot adults and larval clus­ color pattern and size to other quino checkerspot ters were observed at and between the south of Anza populations. Although prediapause larvae from this and east of Iron Springs Mountain sites during the new population fed on a new food plant Antirrhinurn springs of 2000 and 2001. A single interconnecting coulterianum in 2001 (which suggested a new Eu­ silken shelter with 40 to as many as a couple of hun­ phydryas editha subspecies), in 2000 they fed on dred first ancl/or second instar lalvae was used to iden­ Plantago patagonica, the same genus as the major tifya single larval cluster. Between 11 April and 9 May, quino checkerspot food plant. Other quino check­ 2000, 39 males and five females wcre observed and be­ erspot populations were observed to use even more tween 3 and 18 May, 2000, 54 prediapause larval clus­ divergent food plants. For instance larval clusters ters were found on Plantago patagonica Greene were found on the western and northern slopes of (Veronicaceae) (GFP pers. obs.), From 24 April to 16 Tecate Peak of southern San Diego County on Cordy- VOLUME .5.5 , NUMBER 4 171 lanthusrigidus (Benth.) Jeps. (Orobanchaceae) (also MATIO'lI , R., G. F. PHATI, T. R. LO NGC ORE, J. F. EMMEL & J. N. a new food plant for the species) and Plantago erecta GEORGE. 1997. The endangered quino checkerspot butterfly, Ettphydryas edith a quino (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). J. Res. during the springs of 1999 and 2001 (GFP pers. obs. ). Lepid.34:99- 118. Recent molecular studies suggest these food plants OLMSTEAD, R. G., e. W DEPAMPHILIS, A. D. WOLFE , N. D . YOUNG, (Cordylanthus and Plantago ) are more distantly re­ W. J. ELISONS & P. A. REEV ES. 2001. Disintegration of the Scrophulariaceae. Amer. J. Bot. 88 (2):348- 361. lated (separate families) than are Antirrhinum and RO GERS, J. G. 1997. Endangered and threatened wildlife and Plantago (same family) (Olmstead et al. 2001 ). The plants: determination of endangered status for the Laguna food plant therefore may not be the most important Mountains skipper and quino checke rspot butterfly. Federal Register January 16, 1997 Vol. 62:2313- 2322. character used to distinguish Euphydryas editha sub­ SJN(;ER, M.e. 1971. E volution of food-plant preference in the but­ species. terfly Euphydryas editha . Evo!. 25:383- 389. --. 1972. Complex components of habitat suitability within a Ali son Anderson, Greg Ballmer, Dave Hawks , Guy Bruyea, Chris butterfly colony. Science 176:75- 79. Nagano, Brenda McMillan, and John Emmel have provided infor­ - -. 1982. Quantification of host prefe rence by manipulation of mation on present and historical populations. Cecilia L. Pierce as­ oviposition behavior in the butterfly Euphydryas editha. Oeco­ sisted the seni or author on much of the fi eldwork. We thank Fred logia 52:224-229. Sproul for finding and proViding information on the newly discov­ WIIITE , R. R. 1974. Food plant defoliation and larval starvation of ered San Vicente Reservoir population, Steve Meyers , Chet Mc­ Euphydryas editha. Oecologia 14:307-31.5. Gaugh, and "vlike Wilcox for finding and proViding information on a population north of Anza, and Sam Reed lor providing information GORDON F. PRATT, Department of Entomology, Uni­ on a population southwest of Anza. We thank Andy Sanders for all of the plant identifications. We also thank Bob Luck for all of his help versity of California, Riverside, California 92521 , and support. This research was largely supported by a Fish and USA, ERIC W. HEIN, 1515 CaSSidy Street, Oceanside Game grant with the account title ofCDFG FG7J82ES LU CK 6/98. California 92054, USA, and DOUGLAS M. KROFTA, 1361 Bluegrass Rd, Vista, California 92083, USA LITEHATUHE CITED GARTH, J. S. & J W. TILDEN. 1986. California butterflies. Univer­ Received for publication 8 January 2000; revised {lnd accepted 22 sity of California Press, Berkeley, California, 246 pp.