6952 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 29 / Friday, February 11, 2000 / Proposed Rules For further information, please confirmation from the system that we oviposition (egg laying) (Pearson 1988). contact: Chris Murphy, Satellite Policy have received your e-mail message, It is not known at this time how many Branch, (202) 418±2373, or Howard contact us directly by calling our eggs the Ohlone tiger beetle female lays, Griboff, Satellite Policy Branch, at (202) Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office at but other species of Cicindela are 418±0657. phone number 805/644±1766. known to lay between 1 and 14 eggs per (3) You may hand-deliver comments female (mean range 3.7 to 7.7), List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 25 to our Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, depending on the species (Kaulbars and Satellites. 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, Freitag 1993). After the larva emerges Federal Communications Commission. California 93003. from the egg and becomes hardened, it Anna M. Gomez, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: enlarges the chamber that contained the Deputy Chief, International Bureau. Colleen Sculley, invertebrate biologist, egg into a tunnel (Pearson 1988). Before pupation (transformation process from [FR Doc. 00±3332 Filed 2±10±00; 8:45 am] Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, at the larva to adult), the third instar larva will BILLING CODE 6712±01±P above address (telephone 805/644±1766; facsimile 805/644±3958). plug the burrow entrance and dig a SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: chamber for pupation. After pupation, the adult tiger beetle will dig out of the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Background soil and emerge. Reproduction may Fish and Wildlife Service The Ohlone tiger beetle (Cicindela either begin soon after emergence or be ohlone) is a member of the Coleopteran delayed (Pearson 1988). 50 CFR Part 17 family Cicindelidae (tiger beetles), Tiger beetles are a well-studied which includes over 2,000 species taxonomic group with a large body of RIN 1018±AF89 worldwide and over 100 species in the scientific literature; the journal United States (Pearson and Cassola Cicindela is devoted exclusively to tiger Endangered and Threatened Wildlife beetles. Scientists have studied the and Plants; Proposed Endangered 1992). Tiger beetles are day-active, predatory insects that prey on small diversity and ecological specialization Status for the Ohlone Tiger Beetle of tiger beetles, and amateur collectors (Cicindela ohlone) arthropods. Because many tiger beetles often feed on insect species that are have long been attracted by their bright AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, injurious to man and crops, they are coloration and swift movements. Tiger Interior. regarded as beneficial (Pearson and beetle species occur in many different ACTION: Proposed rule. Cassola 1992; Nagano 1982). Adult tiger habitats including riparian habitats, beetles are medium-sized, elongate beaches, dunes, woodlands, grasslands, SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and beetles characterized by their usually and other open areas (Pearson 1988; Wildlife Service (Service), propose brilliant metallic green, blue, red, and Knisley and Hill 1992). A common endangered status pursuant to the yellow coloration highlighted by stripes habitat component appears to be open Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, and spots. Adults are ferocious, swift, sunny areas for hunting and as amended, for the Ohlone tiger beetle and agile predators that seize small prey thermoregulation (an adaptive behavior (Cicindela ohlone). This species is with powerful sickle-shaped jaws. to use sunlight or shade to regulate body endemic to Santa Cruz County, Tiger beetle larvae are also predatory. temperature) (Knisley et al. 1990; California, and is threatened by habitat They live in small vertical or slanting Knisley and Hill 1992). Individual fragmentation and destruction due to burrows from which they lunge and species of tiger beetle are generally urban development, habitat degradation seize passing invertebrate prey (Essig highly habitat-specific because of due to invasion of nonnative vegetation, 1926; Essig 1942; Pearson 1988). When oviposition and larval sensitivity to soil and vulnerability to local extirpations a prey item passes near a burrow, the moisture, composition, and temperature from random natural events. This larva grasps the prey with its strong (Pearson 1988; Pearson and Cassola proposal, if made final, would extend mandibles (mouthparts) and pulls it into 1992; Kaulbars and Freitag 1993). the Federal protection and recovery the burrow, and once inside the burrow, The Ohlone tiger beetle is endemic to provisions of the Act to this species. the larva will feed on the captured prey Santa Cruz County, California, where it DATES: Comments from all interested (Essig 1942; Pearson 1988). Tiger beetles is known only from coastal terraces parties received by April 11, 2000 will share similar larval body forms supporting remnant patches of native be considered. Public hearing requests throughout the world (Pearson and grassland habitat. Specimens of this must be received by March 27, 2000. Cassola 1992). The larvae, either white, species were first collected northwest of ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, yellowish, or dusky in coloration, are the City of Santa Cruz, California, in you may submit your comments and grub-like and fossorial (subterranean), 1987, and were first described in 1993 materials concerning this proposal by with a hook-like appendage on the fifth (Freitag et al. 1993). Both male and any one of several methods. abdominal segment that anchors the female specimens have been collected. (1) You may submit written comments larvae inside their burrows. The adult Ohlone tiger beetle is a to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Tiger beetle larvae undergo three relatively small beetle measuring 9.5 to Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish and instars (larval development stages). This 12.5 millimeters (mm) (0.37 to 0.49 Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, period can take 1 to 4 years, but a 2-year inches (in)) long. The adults have large, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003. period is the most common (Pearson prominent eyes and metallic green (2) You may send comments by e-mail 1988). After mating, the tiger beetle elytra (leathery forewings) with small to [email protected]. Please female excavates a hole in the soil and light spots (Freitag et al. 1993). Their submit these comments as an ASCII file oviposits (lays) a single egg (Pearson legs are long, slender, and coppery- and avoid the use of special characters 1988; Kaulbars and Freitag 1993; Grey green. Freitag et al. (1993) describe and any form of encryption. Please also Hayes, University of California, Santa features that distinguish this species include ``Attn: [RIN 1018±AF89]'' and Cruz, pers. comm. 1998). Females of from closely related species of Cicindela your name and return address in your many species of Cicindela are extremely purpurea and other purpurea group e-mail message. If you do not receive a specific in choice of soil type for taxa. VerDate 27<JAN>2000 16:06 Feb 10, 2000 Jkt 190000 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\11FEP1.SGM pfrm08 PsN: 11FEP1 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 29 / Friday, February 11, 2000 / Proposed Rules 6953 Two principal distinguishing features Adult Ohlone tiger beetles have been entomologists commonly collect out of of the Ohlone tiger beetle are its early observed in remnant patches of native season and out of known ranges in order seasonal adult activity period and its grassland on coastal terraces where bare to find temporally and spatially outlying disjunct distribution. While other tiger areas occur among low or sparse specimens, one would expect more beetle species, such as Cicindela vegetation. Trails (e.g., foot paths, dirt specimens to have been collected if the purpurea, are active during spring, roads, and bicycle paths) are also used. Ohlone tiger beetle were more summer, or early fall (Nagano 1982; When disturbed, adults will fly to more widespread and common. Freitag et al. 1993), the Ohlone tiger densely vegetated areas (Freitag et al. Only five populations of Ohlone tiger beetle is active from late January to early 1993; Richard Arnold, private beetles are known to exist. All known April (Freitag et al. 1993). The Ohlone consultant, pers. comm. 1995). populations are located on coastal tiger beetle is the southernmost of Oviposition by females and subsequent terraces supporting remnant stands of purpurea group species in the Pacific larval development also occur in this native grassland. One population occurs coast region; its distribution is allopatric coastal prairie habitat (i.e., open areas northwest of the City of Soquel at 60 to (geographically separated) to those of among native vegetation) (D. 90 meters (m) (200 to 295 feet (ft)) similar species (Freitag et al. 1993). Kavanaugh, pers. comm. 1997; V. elevation. A second population is Ohlone tiger beetle larvae are Cheap, in litt. 1997). The density of located in the City of Scotts Valley at currently undescribed. However, tiger larval burrows decreases with 210 m (690 ft) elevation; a third is beetle burrows, measuring 4 to 6 mm in increasing vegetation cover (G. Hayes, in located west of the City of Santa Cruz diameter (0.16 to 0.23 in), were found in litt. 1997). at 110 m (360 ft) elevation on property the same habitat areas where adult The historic range of the Ohlone tiger owned by the County of Santa Cruz; a Ohlone tiger beetles were collected beetle cannot be precisely assessed fourth population is found in a preserve (David Kavanaugh, California Academy because the species was only recently northwest of the City of Santa Cruz and of Sciences, pers. comm. 1997; V. discovered, and no historic specimens owned by the City and occurs at about Cheap, in litt. 1997). The surface or records are available. The earliest 110 m (360 ft) elevation; and the fifth openings of these burrows are circular specimen recorded was collected from a population is found northwest of the and flat with no dirt piles or mounds site northwest of the City of Santa Cruz City of Santa Cruz on properties owned surrounding the circumference (Kim in 1987 (Freitag et al.