Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly

Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly

Taxobox
name = Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly


image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Lycaenidae
subfamilia = Polyommatinae
genus = "Euphilotes"
species = "Euphilotes pallescens"
subspecies = "E. p. arenamontana"
trinomial = "Euphilotes pallescens arenamontana"

The Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly ("Euphilotes pallescens arenamontana") is a butterfly of the gossamer winged variety that is only found around the Sand Mountain Recreation Area near Fallon, Nevada. This species is one of several belonging to the "Blue" subfamily of Lycaenidae.cite web|title=Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly|url=http://www.fws.gov/nevada/nv_species/smb_butterfly.html|publisher=Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office|accessdate=2007-03-24]

Biological characteristics

These butterflies are known for their almost complete dependence upon Kearney Buckwheat; eating the fallen leaves of the plant as larvae, and drinking the nectar of the flowers as adults - however, the adults occasionally feed on other plant species. Like many gossamer winged butterflies, Sand Mountain Blues have a close relationship with ants; in this case, desert carpenter ants feed off a sugary secretion of the larvae - if the larvae also benefit or not is yet to be determined. Once the larvae metamorphose into the pupal stage, rather than remain fixed to buckwheat plant, the chrysalis drops into the leaf litter at the base. Upon reaching adulthood, "E. pallescens arenamontana" typically measure anywhere between convert|10.0|mm|in|abbr=on and convert|11.9|mm|in|abbr=on. The species is not known to migrate, and in fact stays within convert|200|ft|m|abbr=on of its host plant. The lifespan of an adult Sand Mountain Blue is approximately one week.cite web|title=Petition to list the Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly as a Threatened or Endangered Species Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act|url=http://www.fws.gov/nevada/nv_species/documents/smbb/smbb_petition.pdf|author=Center for Biological Diversity|coauthors=Xerces Society, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Nevada Outdoor Recreation Association|accessdate=2007-03-24]

tatus

The Sand Mountain Blue species, "E. pallescens" has been officially classified as being vulnerable while the subspecies "p. arenamontana" has been labeled as critically imperiled at great risk of extinction. In 2004 a petition was filed to investigate the status of the Sand Mountain Blue and if it should be placed on the endangered or threatened species lists. Currently, the Sand Mountain Blues are referred to as "rare" because of their small geographical distribution around the Sand Mountain dune. In March of 2007, several off-road vehicle trails were closed off in order to protect the species and its host plant from intrusion.cite web|title=Move to protect butterfly steps on off-roaders|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17722427|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=2007-03-24]

References

External links

* [http://www.fws.gov/nevada/nv_species/smb_butterfly.html Fish and Wildlife Association]


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