In 1976 it became a federally designated endangered species.[5] This butterfly’s habitat has been substantially reduced due to urban development and invasive plants, and it now exists as a handful of populations restricted to coastal dunes in the vicinity of Los Angeles.[6]
Distribution and habitatedit
The El Segundo Blue Butterfly Habitat Preserve next to LAX exists to protect the subspecies. Until 2013, there are only three colonies of this tiny butterfly still in existence. The largest of these is on the grounds of LAX; a further colony exists on a site within the huge Chevron El Segundo oil refinery complex,[7] and the smallest colony is an area of only a few square yards on a local beach. In 2013, the El Segundo blue was discovered living and breeding in the Ballona Wetlands,[8] and its range now extends south to the Palos Verdes Peninsula and some have been located in Santa Barbara County.[9] The butterfly lays its eggs on Seacliff buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium), which the adults also use as a nectar source. This is its host plant. Recently, some nearby beach cities such as Redondo Beach have replaced ice plant growth near the beaches with coast buckwheat, in order to provide the butterflies with more of their natural food source.
2011
111,5
2013
43,4
2015
24,5
Population of the El Segundo Blue per year[10] (minimum count in 1000 individuals)
^Ohanesian, Liz (July 15, 2021). "This Tiny, Blue Butterfly Is in Trouble. Local Conservationists Are Fighting to Change That". Los Angeles Magazine.
^Davenport, K. 2018. Lepidoptera of North America 15. Butterflies of southern California in 2018: updating Emmel and Emmel's 1973 Butterflies of southern California. Contributions of the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. 175 pp.
^Rubinoff, D., T. Longcore, J.R. Dupuis, and K.H. Osborne. 2021. Genomic data support the elevation of the federally listed El Segundo Blue (Euphilotes bernardino/battoides allyni) to species status. Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 75(2): 161-164.
^Traci Watson:Rare Butterflies Flying High at Los Angeles Airport, National Geographic, 21 April 2016
^Dupuis, Julian (2020). "Genomics Confirms Surprising Ecological Divergence and Isolation in an Endangered Butterfly". Biodiversity and Conservation. 29 (6): 1897–1921. doi:10.1007/s10531-020-01950-6. S2CID 211127725. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
^"Endangered Blue Butterflies Expand in Ballona Wetlands". Patch. July 25, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
^"El Segundo blue butterfly". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
^El Segundo Blue Butterfly Counts. LAX Natural Resources Management, retrieved 10 August 2017
Further readingedit
Mattoni, Rudolf H. T., "The Endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly," The Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera, Volume 29 (4), Winter 1990. (archive.org)
segundo, blue, euphilotes, allyni, endangered, species, butterfly, endemic, small, dune, ecosystem, southern, california, that, used, community, called, palisades, close, angeles, international, airport, conservation, statuscritically, imperiled, natureserve, . The El Segundo blue Euphilotes allyni is an endangered species of butterfly It is endemic to a small dune ecosystem in Southern California that used to be a community called Palisades del Rey close to the Los Angeles International Airport LAX 2 El Segundo blueConservation statusCritically Imperiled NatureServe 1 Endangered ESA Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder LepidopteraFamily LycaenidaeGenus EuphilotesSpecies E allyniBinomial nameEuphilotes allyniO Shields 1975SynonymsShijimiaeoides battoides allyni Euphilotes bernardino allyni Euphilotes battoides allyni Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Conservation 3 Distribution and habitat 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingTaxonomy editIt was originally thought to be a subspecies of the square spotted blue E battoides or the Bernardino blue E bernardino but recent authorities consider it its own species 3 4 Conservation editIn 1976 it became a federally designated endangered species 5 This butterfly s habitat has been substantially reduced due to urban development and invasive plants and it now exists as a handful of populations restricted to coastal dunes in the vicinity of Los Angeles 6 Distribution and habitat editThe El Segundo Blue Butterfly Habitat Preserve next to LAX exists to protect the subspecies Until 2013 there are only three colonies of this tiny butterfly still in existence The largest of these is on the grounds of LAX a further colony exists on a site within the huge Chevron El Segundo oil refinery complex 7 and the smallest colony is an area of only a few square yards on a local beach In 2013 the El Segundo blue was discovered living and breeding in the Ballona Wetlands 8 and its range now extends south to the Palos Verdes Peninsula and some have been located in Santa Barbara County 9 The butterfly lays its eggs on Seacliff buckwheat Eriogonum parvifolium which the adults also use as a nectar source This is its host plant Recently some nearby beach cities such as Redondo Beach have replaced ice plant growth near the beaches with coast buckwheat in order to provide the butterflies with more of their natural food source 2011 111 52013 43 42015 24 5Population of the El Segundo Blue per year 10 minimum count in 1000 individuals See also editPalos Verdes blueReferences edit NatureServe Explorer 2 0 Ohanesian Liz July 15 2021 This Tiny Blue Butterfly Is in Trouble Local Conservationists Are Fighting to Change That Los Angeles Magazine Davenport K 2018 Lepidoptera of North America 15 Butterflies of southern California in 2018 updating Emmel and Emmel s 1973 Butterflies of southern California Contributions of the C P Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado 175 pp Rubinoff D T Longcore J R Dupuis and K H Osborne 2021 Genomic data support the elevation of the federally listed El Segundo Blue Euphilotes bernardino battoides allyni to species status Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 75 2 161 164 Traci Watson Rare Butterflies Flying High at Los Angeles Airport National Geographic 21 April 2016 Dupuis Julian 2020 Genomics Confirms Surprising Ecological Divergence and Isolation in an Endangered Butterfly Biodiversity and Conservation 29 6 1897 1921 doi 10 1007 s10531 020 01950 6 S2CID 211127725 Retrieved October 16 2020 What We Do Chevron Retrieved May 11 2016 Endangered Blue Butterflies Expand in Ballona Wetlands Patch July 25 2020 Retrieved December 14 2021 El Segundo blue butterfly U S Fish amp Wildlife Service Retrieved December 14 2021 El Segundo Blue Butterfly Counts LAX Natural Resources Management retrieved 10 August 2017Further reading editMattoni Rudolf H T The Endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly The Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera Volume 29 4 Winter 1990 PDF 19 5 MB archive org Portal nbsp Insects This Polyommatini related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title El Segundo blue amp oldid 1180307555, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
