54028 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 201 / Friday, October 17, 1997 / Proposed Rules Species Vertebrate popu- Historic range lation where endan- Status When listed Critical Special Common name Scientific name gered or threatened habitat rules ******* Dated: September 12, 1997. appointment, during normal business the town of Port St. Joe located on the Jamie Rappaport Clark, hours at the above address. central Gulf County coastal mainland, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. and four specimens near Money Bayou [FR Doc. 97±27548 Filed 10±16±97; 8:45 am] Michael M. Bentzien, at the above in eastern Gulf County (Bowen 1968). BILLING CODE 4310±55±P address (telephone 904/232±2580, ext. Based on these records, Bowen (1968) 106; facsimile 904/232±2404). and James (1992) described the former range of the St. Andrew beach mouse as SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR likely extending from the St. Joseph Spit Background (Peninsula) northwest along the coastal Fish and Wildlife Service The oldfield mouse (Peromyscus mainland adjacent to St. Joseph Bay, to Crooked Island at the East Pass of St. 50 CFR Part 17 polionotus) occurs in northeastern Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Andrews Bay. This range also included RIN 1018±AE41 Carolina, and Florida. Beach mice are about 0.6 kilometer (km) (1 mile (mi)) of coastal subspecies of the oldfield mouse mainland sand dune habitat east of the Endangered and Threatened Wildlife restricted to beach and sand dune landward end of the St. Joseph and Plants; Proposal to List the St. habitat. Hall (1981) recognized eight Peninsula to Money Bayou on the Gulf Andrew Beach Mouse as Endangered coastal subspecies whose common of Mexico. The absence of past AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, distinguishing characteristics include collection records and lack of beach Interior. white feet, large ears, and large black mouse sign and trapping success in the area east of Money Bayou to the ACTION: Proposed rule. eyes. Their fur is variously patterned in shades of white, yellow, brown, and southeastern corner of Gulf County SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service grey. The head, back, and rump are (James 1987; J. Gore, Florida Game and (Service) proposes endangered status for darkly patterned, though to a lighter and Fresh Water Fish Commission, in litt. the St. Andrew Beach Mouse less extensive degree than inland 1994) suggest that this area may not be (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis) oldfield mice. The all-white underparts part of the subspecies' historic range. pursuant to the Endangered Species Act extend higher up to the sides than on Coastal tidal marsh and upland of 1973, as amended (Act). This the inland subspecies (Sumner 1926, habitat between the mainland city of subspecies is restricted to coastal sand Bowen 1968). Howell (1939) described Port St. Joe and the St. Joseph Peninsula dunes and had a historic distribution the type (original) specimen of the St. naturally divided the former range of that included the northeast Florida Andrew beach mouse as having a very the St. Andrew beach mouse into two panhandle from Gulf County into pale, buff-colored head and back with segments. Initial genetic analysis of a portions of Bay County. Its current range extensive white coloration underneath small sample of mice from these is limited to a portion of the St. Joseph and along the sides. Bowen (1968) noted segments and another subspecies, the Peninsula in Gulf County. Habitat two distinct rump color pigmentations, Choctawhatchee beach mouse (P. impacts causing loss of mice and the one a tapered and the other a squared polionotus allophrys), from nearby species' local capability to recover from pattern, which extended to the thighs. habitat found similarities between the such impacts are primarily responsible Head and body lengths average 75 Crooked Island and St. Joseph Peninsula for the range curtailment. Threats to millimeters (mm) (2.95 inches (in)), tail samples at one gene location (locus). beach mouse habitat include severe mean length 52 mm (2.05 in), and hind The Crooked Island sample was storms, coastal land development and foot mean length 18.5 mm (0.73 in) distinctly different from the its associated activities, and non-storm (James 1992). Choctawhatchee beach mouse sample at related, natural shoreline erosion. Beach mice subspecies historically the same locus. Additional work is Additional threats include predation by occurred on both the Atlantic Coast of needed to determine if these patterns free-ranging domestic cats and Florida from St. Johns through Broward are consistent at several loci (Moyers displacement by house mice. This counties and the eastern Gulf of Mexico 1997). proposal, if made final, would from Gulf County, Florida, to Baldwin Typical beach mouse habitat generally implement the protection provisions County, Alabama (Ivey 1949, Bowen consists of several rows of sand dunes provided by the Act for this beach 1968, James 1992, Stout 1992, Gore and paralleling the shoreline. Prevailing mouse. Schaefer 1993). The St. Andrew beach wind, beach sand, and vegetation DATES: Comments from all interested mouse is the easternmost of the five combine to form and shape coastal parties must be received by December Gulf coast subspecies. Howell (1939) dunes. A common complex of animal 16, 1997. Public hearing requests must collected the type specimen at St. species, vegetation, and habitat types be received by December 1, 1997. Andrew Point on Crooked Island, characterize the coastal sand dune ADDRESSES: Comments and materials Tyndall Air Force Base, Bay County, ecosystem. The types and amount of concerning this proposal should be sent Florida (type locality). Other historic animals, vegetation, and habitat may to Michael M. Bentzien, Assistant Field collection records for the subspecies differ, however, among specific sites. Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife include nine additional specimens from The common types of sand dune habitat Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive South, the type locality, seven mice from St. include frontal dunes, primary dunes, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216. Joseph Point and four mice from Cape secondary dunes, inter and intradunal Comments and materials received will San Blas on the St. Joseph Peninsula in swales, and scrub dunes. Frontal dunes be available for public inspection, by Gulf County, 48 individuals at or near and primary dunes are those closest to Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 201 / Friday, October 17, 1997 / Proposed Rules 54029 the shoreline, most recently formed, and habitat type less frequently when activities began to contribute to these highly dynamic. The foreslope of compared to frontal, primary, and impacts (James 1992). Bowen (1968) was primary dunes grades into the secondary dunes (Blair 1951, Hill 1989, unable to collect beach mice from one developing frontal dunes on the open Gore and Schaefer 1993, Novak 1997). or more historic sites during a 1961 field beach. Frontal dunes on the Gulf Coast James (1987) only rarely observed St. trip. Hurricane Eloise split Crooked are sparsely vegetated, usually by sea Andrew beach mouse tracks in the Island into east and west segments in oats (Uniola paniculata), bluestem interdunal areas within St. Joseph 1975, and multiple attempts to collect (Schizachyrium maritimum), beach Peninsula State Park (SJPSP), located beach mice from the western segment grass (Panicum amarum), and sea rocket within the northern 15 km (9 mi) of the during the early and mid-1980's were (Cakile constricta). Primary dunes also peninsula. unsuccessful (Gore in litt. 1987). During support stands of these species and Various researchers have also this same period, trap surveys collected include other broad-leaved plants such documented the occurrence of other small numbers of beach mice on the as seaside pennywort (Hydrocotyle beach mouse subspecies within scrub eastern segment. Limited trap and track bonariensis), seashore elder (Iva dunes (Extine and Stout 1987, Hill 1989, surveys during the late 1980's found no imbricata), and beach morning glory Rave and Holler 1992, Gore and evidence of beach mice within (Ipomea stolonifera) (Clewell 1985). Schaefer 1993, Swilling et al. 1996, undeveloped coastal mainland habitat Secondary dunes consist of one or more Moyers et al. 1996, Novak 1997). Blair between Crooked Island and Money dune lines landward of the primary (1951) believed that the scrub dunes on Bayou, as well as on the St. Joseph dune with a similar though denser Santa Rosa Island offered abundant food Peninsula from near the southern border vegetative cover. Interdunal swales are and cover for the Santa Rosa beach of SJPSP through Cape San Blas to the wet or dry depressions between primary mouse (P. p. leucocephalus). Scrub northeastern end of the peninsula (Gore and secondary dunes while intradunal dunes may also function as refugia in litt. 1990, James 1987). Both surveys swales occur within primary dunes as a during and after storms and as a source revealed that mice still existed on result of wave action, storm surges, and for recolonization of storm-damaged Crooked Island East and also occurred wind erosion. Wet swales are those dunes (Moyers et al. 1996, Swilling et within SJPSP. Gore collected 3.6 mice whose water table is at or near the al. 1996). Their use by the St. Andrew per 100 trap nights during his 1989 surface. Swale vegetation includes beach mouse is not well documented. survey within the park. Based on her plants found on primary and secondary James (1987) noted the absence of tracks survey results, James (1992) estimated dunes as well as salt meadow cordgrass in scrub dunes within SJPSP, although the Crooked Island East population at (Spartina patens), rushes (Juncus sp.), she did collect mice in 1986 from well- 150 mice and the population within sedges (Cyperus sp.), and saltgrass vegetated back dunes on Crooked Island SJPSP at 500 mice. Gore speculated that (Distichlis spicata). Scrub dunes are the (James 1992).