Fender's blue butterfly (''Icaricia icarioides fenderi'') is an

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

subspecies of Boisduval's blue (''Icaricia icarioides)''

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the

Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( ) is a long valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the eas ...

of northwestern

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

, United States. Th
potential range
of the butterfly extends from south and west of Portland, OR to south of Eugene, OR. The butterfly is host-specific on the Kincaid's lupine, which it relies on for reproduction and growth.

History

The subspecies was first documented in the 1920s and was described to science in 1931 by biologist Ralph Macy, who named it for his friend, Kenneth Fender, an entomologist and mail carrier. The subspecies was not seen after the 1930s and was presumed extinct. Small populations were rediscovered in 1989. Its

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

, Fender, had died nine years earlier.

Ecology

Willamette valley fenders blue butterfly icaricia icarioides fenderi

Host plant

Fender's blue butterfly is host-specific on Kincaid's lupine (''Lupinus sulphureus kincaidii)'', a rare subspecies of the common sulphur lupine. The adult deposits its eggs on the plant in spring. After emerging and feeding, the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

winters in the root system. In spring it continues to feed before undergoing metamorphosis. As an adult it lives for no more than three weeks, during which time it mates and the female seeks Kincaid's lupines on which to oviposit. As Fender's blue prefer to feed on the lupine's flowers, reduction in lupine availability limits the butterfly's food sources and distribution. Females in particular prefer native nectar, with a study by Thomas and Schultz finding only 20% of nectar was obtained from nonnative plants.

Mutualism

Fender's blue butterfly has been observed to participate in facultative mutualism with several species of ant, including ''

Prenolepis imparis ''Prenolepis imparis'', commonly known as the winter ant, false honey ant, or false honeypot ant, is a species of ant in the genus ''Prenolepis''. The species is found in North America, from Canada to Mexico, nesting deep within the ground. Unu ...

'' and '' Aphaenogaster occidentalis''. Butterfly larvae that received attendance from ants were observed to have higher survival rates compared to those that did not.

Habitat destruction

Fender's blue butterfly is endemic to the

in Oregon, where its habitat is fragmented into 13 sections. Observation of butterfly dispersion and flight patterns revealed that butterflies tend to prefer prairie patches with Kincaid's lupine. As fragmentation increases the distance between lupine patches, the butterflies face habitat loss due to the lack of ability to fly from one patch to another. The increasing presence of anthropogenic structures, agriculture, and urbanization threaten habitat fragmentation, as roads can prevent movement and introduce mortality risk from vehicles.

Conservation

In January 2000, Fender's blue butterfly was added to the

Endangered Species List On 29 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 5220 (2754 animals, 1 fungus, 2464 plant, 1 protist) endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations. For IUCN lists of endangered species by kingd ...

by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

. The largest known populations now exist in the

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is in northwestern Oregon, 10 miles (16 km) west of Salem in Polk County. The Refuge consists of 1,173 acres (4.75 km²) of cropland, which provide forage for wintering geese, 300 ...

. A 2014 study reintroduced this subspecies to

William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge is a natural area in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, United States. It was created to provide wintering habitat for dusky Canada geese. Unlike other Canada geese, dusky Canada geese have limited summer ...

.Bringing back a rare butterfly at Finley. Corvallis Gazette-Times May 23, 2014.
/ref> Fender's blue butterfly is a protected species in The Nature Conservancy's Willow Creek Preserve in Eugene, which extends into the Willamette Valley. Controlled burning of prairie habitats is practiced in the preserve to maximize butterfly population growth.

References

External links

Fender's blue butterfly (''Icaricia icarioides fenderi'').
US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Species Fact Sheet: Fender's blue butterfly (''Icaricia icarioides fenderi'').
Oregon Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Double jeopardy: Endangered butterfly depends on endangered plants.
Environmental News Network. CNN.com June 26, 2000. {{Taxonbar, from=Q5443220 Icaricia Fauna of the Northwestern United States Natural history of Oregon ESA endangered species Butterfly subspecies Endemic fauna of Oregon Endemic insects of the United States