Newly discovered populations and food plants extend the range of the endangered quino checkerspot butterfly, Euphydryas editha quino (Nymphalidae) in southern California

摘要

The federally endangered quino checkerspot (Euphydryas editha quino (Behr) is restricted to the coastal slope of southwestern California. When the quino checkerspot was petitioned for listing in 1988, it was already believed extinct. However, severalpopulations were detected in the early 1990's in southwestern Riverside County (Oak Mountain, Murrieta Hot Springs, and Temecula) and north-central San Diego County (Oak Grove). Furthermore, a year before the species was listed as endangered on January16, 1997 (Rogers 1997), several quino checkerspots were observed on the western slopes of Otay Mountain in southwestern San Diego County. Since then, additional quino checkerspot populations have been found in southeasten (Jacumba) and south central (west Tecate Peak) San Diego County (Mattoni et al. 1997).