(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
OTHER COMMON NAMES - BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK; METALMARK, LANGE'S; METALMARK and LANGE
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Terrestrial Insects
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - ARTHROPODA,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - INSECTA,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - LEPIDOPTERA,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - LYCAENIDAE,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - APODEMIA,
SPECIES AND SSP - MORMO, LANGEI
SCIENTIFIC NAME - APODEMIA MORMO LANGEI
AUTHORITY -
TAXONOMY REFERENCES -
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Lange's Metalmark Butterfly
Apodemia mormo langei Comstock, 1938
KINGDOM: Animal GROUP: Insect
PHYLUM: Arthropoda CLASS: Insecta
ORDER: Lepidoptera FAMILY: Lycaenidae
This is a small brightly colored butterfly with a wing span of
about one inch. The upper surfaces of the forewings have coal-black
to ash-gray edges with three rows of black-bordered irregular white
marks along the outer margins. The ground color of the inner surfaces
of the forewings is russet-orange with four centrally located
black-bordered white markings. The ground color of the smaller
hindwings are dark brown with some splashes of orange near the wing
base. The hindwings have similar markings as the forewings,
especially in the females. The markings and color of the male
hindwings are reduced so that a concolorous brown is present. The
marginal markings are similar to those of the forewings with the
exception of being reduced in size. The undersides of the forewings
are orange with a tan outer margin and markings similar to that of the
upper wing surfaces only muted. Tan is the ground color of the
undersides of the hind wings with similar markings as the upper
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
surfaces. The sexes have a similar coloration and are difficult to
distinguish. The dorsal and ventral wing surfaces of this butterfly
are illustrated in Howe (01), on plate #48.
These markings readily distinguish the Lange's metalmark from
the eight other subspecies known from North America. Other subspecies
may occur in Mexico. The variations, Lange metalmark and Lange's
metalmark are synonyms to the common name, Lange's metalmark
butterfly. There are no scientific name synonyms.
Apodemia mormo langei was described in 1938 by John Adams
Comstock (03). The holotype is deposited in the entomological
collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History (02).
The type locality is Antioch, Contra Costa Co., CA (02). No synonyms
are known (02).
Taxonomy - 2 (DRAFT) - Status
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
STATUS
Coded Status
E: Federal Endangered
Non-consumptive recreational
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS:
The Lange's metalmark butterfly (Apodemia mormo langei) has been
designated an Endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species
Act of 1973 (50 CFR 17.11; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16 U.S.C.
1531-1540), as amended. The subspecies has this status wherever found
including the State of California.
This subspecies is protected by the Lacey Act (P.L. 97-79, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) which makes it unlawful to import,
export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any wild
animal (alive or dead including parts, products, eggs, or offspring):
(1) in interstate or foreign commerce if taken, possessed,
transported or sold in violation of any State law or
regulation; or
(2) if taken or possessed in violation of any U.S. law,
treaty, or regulation or in violation of Indian tribal law.
It is also unlawful to possess any wild animal (alive or dead
including parts, products, eggs, and offspring) within the U.S.
territorial or special maritime jurisdiction (as defined in
18 U.S.C. 7) that is taken, possessed, transported, or sold in
violation of any State law or regulation, foreign law, or Indian
tribal law.
RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES:
USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and
law enforcement/protection of this species.
All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any
action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402),
and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the
conservation of the species.
STATE STATUSES AND LAWS:
The California Endangered Species Act does not protect this
species. The California Environmental Quality Act (PRC 2100 et seq.)
recognizes Federally listed Threatened and Endangered species as among
those species requiring that environmental impact assessments be made
for actions that may detrimentally affect them. See: Guidlines for
Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, California
Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 15380.
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS:
None.
ECONOMIC STATUSES:
Lange's metalmark butterfly has aesthetic value.
75/03/20:40 FR 01269/ - Notice of review
75/10/14:40 FR 48139/48140 - Proposed rule, listing as Endangered
76/06/01:41 FR 22041/22044 - Final rule, listed as Endangered
77/02/08:42 FR 07973/07976 - Proposed Critical Habitat
79/03/06:44 FR 12382/12384 - Withdrawal of proposal for CH
81/02/27:46 FR 14652/14658 - Five year review
87/07/07:52 FR 25523/25528 - Notice of review
Status - 2 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - TERRESTRIAL
TERRESTRIAL
LAND USE -
Industrial
Transportation, communications, and Util
Orchards, Groves, Vineyards, Nurseries,
Sandy Areas other than Beaches
Strip Mines, Quarries, and Gravel Pits
Transitional Areas
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
The Antioch sand dunes comprised a unique ecological area from
several standpoints, although they have been largely decimated by
industrialization. Biologically Antioch Dunes was a kind of "island"
that contained the northern extension of many plants and animals of
desert affinities; a biogeographic element that probably extended
along the western margin of the Central Valley in prehistoric times.
Later natural processes reduced this biota to a few small islands of
sand dunes, the largest of which was at Antioch. Although the dunes
resemble coastal dunes, such as at Pt. Reyes, the plants and animals
were quite different, being desert species. The long isolation from
relatives in the Mojave resulted in considerable local
differentiation, or endemism, with the occurrence of species or races
peculiar to the one area (08). The dunes once encompassed about 500
acres with elevations to ca. 100 ft above sea level but were reduced
to about 60 acres with elevations ca. 30 ft above sea level.
Apodemia mormo langei is found only on remnant sand dunes near
the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in eastern
Contra Costa County, CA. This is the only place its larval and
primary adult foodplant the buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum var.
auriculatum (Benth.) S. Stokes, grows. Native vegetation at these
dune remnants consists of perennial shrubs and semi-shrubs. In recent
years, the numbers and cover-abundance of weedy species has increased,
thereby out competing and limiting seedling growth of some native
plants. Characteristic native plants include Lupinus albifrons,
Quercus agrifolia, Lotus scoparius, Erysimum capitatum, Senecio
douglasii, Gutierrezia californica, and Oenothera deltoides var.
howelli (04,05).
Specific physical and environmental parameters required by the
metalmark are unknown at this time.
Currently dune habitat is adjacent to a sewage treatment
facility, sand quarrying areas, a vineyard, the Domtar gypsum plant,
the Atchison/Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad tracks, the Fulton shipyard
road, and traversed by Pacific Gas & Electric power transmission
towers.
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
HERBIVORE
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Deciduous Shrubs-Leaves/Twigs
General Deciduous Shrubs-Flowers/Fruit/Seed
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
LIFE HISTORY
FOOD HABITS:
Adult metalmarks feed on nectar produced by several flowers. The
primary nectar plant is Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum (05).
Secondary nectar plants include Getierrezia californica, Senecio
douglasii, Chrysopsis villosa, and Heterotheca grandiflora (05).
Other plants on which metalmarks have been observed feeding on include
Croton californicus, Centaurea solstitialis, and Aster chilensis var.
lentus (05).
Larvae of the Lange's metalmark feed only on the buckwheat,
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum (05). In the winter, spring and
early summer months, larvae feed on the upper surface of the foliage.
Later instar (stage) larvae complete their development by foraging on
the flower stalks and developing flowers.
The egg and pupal stages of butterflies do not feed.
HOME RANGE/TERRITORY:
Strictly speaking, this butterfly is not territorial, although a
few features of its behavior might be loosely interpreted as
territorial. The home range of both sexes is no more than a few acres
in size. Results of capture-recapture studies indicate that the home
range varies from 1 to about 20 acres in size (05). Both male and
female adults are solitary perchers, i.e., they perch on vegetation
that offers them a good vantage point for locating mates. Typical
adult perches are leaves and flowers of Eriogonum nudum var.
auriculatum, Lupinus albifrons, Lotus scoparius, dead vegetation, and
various inanimate objects (05).
PERIODICITY:
The adult flight season is generally in late summer, from
mid-August to mid-September (05). Most daily activities, nectaring,
perching, dispersal, mate-location, oviposition, etc., occur during
the daytime, particularly between 1100-1800 Pacific Daylight Time
(05). Some matings may extend into crepuscular hours (05). Adults
perch and are inactive at night. Larvae are thought to feed during
the evening and into the night (05).
MIGRATION PATTERNS:
Lange's metalmark is non-migratory. Capture-recapture studies
suggest that most individual movements are short, 100-250 feet,
although a few individuals have been observed to move as far as 2,000
feet during their lifetime (05,06,07).
COVER/SHELTER REQUIREMENTS:
The primary requirement for this butterfly is the presence of
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum. Mature plants provide more leaves
and flowers for the metalmark's larvae and adults to forage on and can
support more individuals than younger plants (05).
REPRODUCTIVE SITE REQUIREMENTS:
Mate location usually occurs on or near the buckwheat (05). If
both sexes are receptive to mating, the adults often will fly around
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
for a few minutes touching their wings and briefly landing on the
ground or vegetation with rapid wing fluttering and contact (05).
Presumably a pheromone is released from the wings during this time.
Copulation often occurs on Lotus scoparius, but has occassionally been
observed on other plants (06,07). Eggs are laid on withered leaves
and stems of the buckwheat (05).
REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS:
Adult metalmarks are sexually mature when they emerge from their
pupa in August and September. They produce one generation per year.
Adults may mate once their wings have expanded and hardened, often
within a few hours after emergence. Metalmarks may mate several times
during their adult lifespan, which can be as long as two weeks (05).
Females lay eggs throughout their adult lifespan (05). Mating may
last 3-4 hours, but there is no mate pair bonding formed (05).
PARENTAL CARE:
None.
POPULATION BIOLOGY:
Primary limiting factors are the small amount of available
habitat and decreasing food supply, i.e., buckwheat (05,06,07).
Capture-recapture studies since 1977 at both remaining metalmark sites
indicate that population numbers have declined about 80% during this
8-year period (06,07). Loss and alteration of habitat, factors that
reduce the buckwheat biomass, are believed to be responsible for the
dramatic decline in butterfly numbers.
Recovery potential of the metalmark is dependent upon a
substantially increased biomass of its foodplant (05,06,07). Since
population sizes at both remaining sites have been below 500 adults
per generation for the past several years, it is possible the
deleterious genetic factors, such as drift, loss of heterozygosity,
etc., may also be factors that could limit the metalmark's recovery
(05,06,07).
SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
An insect and host plant relationship exists with the sole larval
foodplant, Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum, commonly known as
buckwheat.
OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
None.
Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Suppressing wildfire
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Off-Road Vehicles
Beneficial Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Mining
Beneficial Maintaining undisturbed/undeveloped areas
Beneficial Land Acquisition
Beneficial Reforestation
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Nonnative Vegetation
Beneficial Stocking captive-reared wild-strain animals
Beneficial Transplanting wild animals
Adverse Poaching
Existing Poaching
Adverse Off Road Vehicles
Existing Off Road Vehicles
Adverse Low Gene Pool
Existing Low Gene Pool
Adverse Surface Mines
Existing Surface Mines
Adverse Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Existing Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Adverse Transmission Lines/Towers
Existing Transmission Lines/Towers
Adverse Soil compaction by heavy equipment in mine areas
Existing Soil compaction by heavy equipment in mine areas
Adverse Exotic/Feral/Introducted Species
Existing Exotic/Feral/Introducted Species
Adverse Grazing
Existing Grazing
Adverse
Existing
Adverse Vegetation Composition Changes
Existing Vegetation Composition Changes
Adverse Suppressing wildfire
Existing Suppressing wildfire
Adverse Fire
Existing Fire
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
Since the turn of the century loss and alteration of habitat
at the Antioch Dunes has occurred primarily by agriculture (grazing
and viticulture), sand-mining, industrialization, and urbanization
(04,05). More recently, annual discing for fire-control has destroyed
the metalmark's larval foodplant, Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum,
commonly known as buckwheat. Off-road vehicles were a serious
problem, especially for about one year after acquisition of a portion
of the dunes by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The growth of
weeds, annual grasses, ice plant, and non-native trees continues to
out compete native dune plants, like the buckwheat (05). Management
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
efforts to control and eradicate these unwanted plants have had only
limited success. Since 1976, incendiary fires have annually burned a
significant amount of the remaining habitat (05,06,07).
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. maintains transmission lines on two
parcels that it owns. Routine maintenance procedures generally cause
little damage to the habitat, but downed power lines and their repair
have caused several fires and trampling of the native vegetation by
heavy equipment (06,07). Poaching by butterfly collectors has been a
minor problem (07).
Weeds will continue to be the major threat to the Lange's
metalmark in the immediate future, since they are at least partially
responsible for the declining numbers of buckwheat plants (05,06,07).
Fires will also continue to be a problem as long as the general public
is allowed access to the refuge property. Poaching may continue to be
a minor problem.
Annual census estimates since 1977 indicate that population
numbers at both remaining colonies, the Stamm and Little Corral, have
dropped to below 500 individuals per annual generation (05,06,07).
Natural exchange of adult metalmarks between both colonies at the
Antioch Dunes is rare or non-existent (05,06,07). Thus, both colonies
are susceptible to loss of genetic variation due to the reduced gene
pool (05,06,07).
APPROVED PLAN:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Revised Recovery Plan for
Three Endangered Species Endemic to the Antioch Dunes, California
(Lange's Metalmark Butterfly, Contra Costa Wallflower, and Antioch
Dunes Evening Primrose). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland,
OR. 66 pp.
The Recovery Plan for the Lange's metalmark butterfly recommends:
1) Acquisition of more key habitats.
2) Continued restoration of habitats (which may include removal of
exotic vegetation).
3) Maintenance of habitats including restricting development and
mining.
4) Control or management of public use (e.g., restricting excessive
foot travel, off-road vehicle use, and campfires).
5) Measures to control or manage fuelbreaks and other fire prevention
activities.
6) A limited program of captive breeding (and possibly transplanting
individuals) and planting of larvae food plants, if necessary.
Further losses of habitat at Antioch Dunes (e.g. to development,
mining, etc.) must be prevented. Habitat has been protected through
acquisition of key lands into the Fish and Wildlife Service's National
Wildlife Refuge system. The Antioch Dune ecosystem is being restored
to improve habitat and increase populations of the Lange's metalmark
butterfly.
Management Practices - 2 (DRAFT) - References
Species BUTTERFLY, LANGE'S METALMARK
Species Id ESIS501008
Date 13 MAR 96
References
***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE *****
01 Howe, W.H. 1975. The butterflies of North America. Doubleday &
Co., Inc., Garden City, NY. 633 pp.
02 Miller, L.D. and F.M. Brown. 1981. A catalogue/checklist of the
butterflies of America north of Mexico. Lep. Soc. Memoir #2.
280 pp.
03 Comstock, J.A. 1938. A new Apodemia from California. Bull. So.
Calif. Acad. Sci. 37:129-131.
04 Howard, A.Q. and R.A. Arnold. 1980. The Antioch Dunes -- Safe at
last? Fremontia 8(3):3-12.
05 Arnold, R.A. and J.A. Powell. 1983. Apodemia mormo langei.
Chapter 6. IN: Ecological studies of six endangered butterflies
(Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae): Island biogeography, patch dynamics,
and the design of habitat preserves. R.A. Arnold. Univ. Calif.
Publ. Entomol. 99:1-161.
06 Arnold, R.A. 1984. Unpublished report. Monitoring of the
endangered Lange's metalmark butterfly in 1983 at the Antioch
Dunes. Annual Rept. to San Francisco Bay NWR.
07 Arnold, R.A. 1985. Unpublished report. Ecological studies of the
endangered Lange's metalmark butterfly at the Antioch Dunes.
Annual Rept. to San Francisco Bay NWR.
08 Powell, J.A. and R.A. Arnold. 1977. Status of certain insect and
plant survivors of the Antioch sand dunes. Unpublished report on
file at: Office of Endangered Species, Washington, D.C. 3 pp.
***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY *****
01 Howard, A.Q. and R.A. Arnold. 1980. The Antioch Dunes -- Safe at
last? Fremontia 8(3):3-12.
02 Arnold, R.A. and J.A. Powell. 1983. Apodemia mormo langei.
Chapter 6. IN: Ecological studies of six endangered butterflies
(Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae): Island biogeography, patch dynamics,
and the design of habitat preserves. R.A. Arnold. Univ. Calif.
Publ. Entomol. 99:1-161.
References - 1