U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) finalized listing the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
The subspecies of checkerspot butterfly can be found in a few high-elevation mountain meadows within the Sacramento Mountains in the Lincoln National Forest in southeastern New Mexico. The butterfly is about 2 inches wide as an adult and lays its eggs on one host plant, the New Mexico beardtongue.
“The Service found that the designation of critical habitat for the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly is prudent, but we are unable to make a critical habitat determination at this time,” USFWS said in the press release. “The Service is continuing to consider what areas may be essential to the butterfly’s conservation and expects to propose a designation of critical habitat in the coming year.”
The listing takes effect on March 2.
