Miami blue

Abstract: The Miami blue butterfly, Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri (Lycaenidae), which was widespread in coastal southern Florida in the last century, is now reduced to a few dozen individuals on a single islet of the Florida Keys. We present the first account of its reproductive ecology, and analyze its decline. We correct the common view that a principal host plant, balloon vine, is an exotic weed. Four other insects also feed on seeds of balloon vine, including a true bug, a wasp, and another lycaenid hairstreak that colonized the area in 1970. Larvae of the two lycaenids were negatively associated across sites, due in part to oviposition decisions. Balloon vines were more likely to abort fruit containing larval blues than hairstreaks. Most focal host plants disappeared between 1988 and 2003, mainly due to human disturbance. In addition, comparative evidence suggests that the blue and wasp were more susceptible to mosquito control spraying than were the other insects.

Abstract: Cyclargus ammon (Lucas) has been established on Big Pine Key, Florida since at least 1997 The species arrived from Cuba, possibly with the assistance of a meteorological event It inhabits rockland pine forests in Florida and is known to utilize as hostplants Acacia pinetorum, Acacia famesiana and Caesalpinia pauciflora (Fabaceae) The habitat, abundance, nectar sources and life history are detailed The decline of endemic Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri (Comstock & Huntington) is also discussed Once locally common in South Florida, there were no verified records of this subspecies during the period of March 1992-October 1999 It is now known to occur at a single location in the lower Florida Keys Loss of habitat through coastal development is the likely cause of this decline, perhaps exacerbated by other factors such as succession, tropical storms, and mosquito control Surveys are required to determine the current status of C t bethunebakeri in Florida

Abstract: The Miami blue butterfly, Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri, is a state-endangered taxon in Florida and a candidate for federal listing This once common butterfly saw a dramatic decline in population number and abundance in the 1970s and 1980s, but significant collections of individuals prior to this decline are deposited in natural history museums Using museum specimens, we quantified the genetic diversity in a historical population present in Key Largo, Florida in 1940, 1960, and 1980 Genetic diversity was consistently high within this historical population, but diversity was observed to decrease over the decades sampled A comparison of historical diversity from the Key Largo population with the extant populations on Bahia Honda State Park (BHSP) and Key West National Wildlife Refuge (KWNWR) revealed differences in allelic frequencies, but only minor differences in the overall number of alleles The historical distribution of butterflies throughout the Florida Keys further suggests a metapopulation structure This structure involved partially-isolated populations of C t bethunebakeri that were loosely connected via gene flow and that underwent localized extinction and colonization events along the chain of suitable habitat in the Florida Keys It appears that a “mini-metapopulation” currently exists on BHSP and KWNWR; structures that are similar to the historical metapopulation structure and distribution of populations on a larger scale Knowledge of historical distribution helps to plan future reintroduction events with captive-bred butterflies Additional populations of butterflies may represent undiscovered genetic diversity that, if appropriate, may be further incorporated into captive-breeding efforts

Abstract: . 1 The Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) (Lycaenidae) is a small, brightly coloured butterfly endemic to Florida. 2 It was once locally common across much of the south Florida mainland south through the Florida Keys to the Dry Tortugas. 3 Over the last few decades, ever-expanding urbanisation and the associated loss of coastal habitat have lead to a significant reduction in the taxon's overall geographical distribution and numerical abundance. 4 The butterfly is currently limited to two small extant populations in the Lower Florida Keys, making it one of the most imperilled insects in North American and warranting a state of Florida listing as endangered. 5 As part of a large-scale, model cooperative recovery programme led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the University of Florida, the National Park Service, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, efforts are underway to conserve the butterfly through captive propagation, organism re-introduction to state and federal lands, and research on the biology, population ecology, genetic diversity, and non-target impact of mosquito control adulticides.