Poladryas minuta (Dotted Checkerspot) | Natural Heritage New Mexico

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Nymphalidae

Genus: Poladryas

Species: minuta

Dotted Checkerspot - Poladryas minuta

371419

Species Extent (New Mexico)

Global Rank: G5

State Rank: S2

Rank Metadata
State Rank: S2	Rank Changed: 02/19/2025
Rank Reviewed: 07/31/1996
Reason: The Dotted Checkerspot (<em>Poladryas minuta</em>) is a shortgrass prairie specialist living near limestone ridges east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Mexico. The population size and trend is not known however, efforts should be made to determine this in light of declines Forister <em>et al.</em> 2021 found in other butterfly species in the Western United States. As a shortgrass prairie specialist the butterfly has an expected continuing decline in the extent and quality of habitat, much of its range occurs in the southwestern United States, which hosts grasslands, a critically endangered ecosystem having declined by more than 98%. The butterfly is also threatened by both grazing and development. Fire is also a concern as the butterfly could fall victim to catastrophic fire fueled by climate change and invasive species. A lack of fire could also lead to woody encroachment, leaving the species with less habitat. As a result at this time the Dotted Checkerspot is assessed as S2 in New Mexico. However a reassessment should be done if more information becomes available.

Ecological Factors
Specificity: Moderate. Generalist or community with some key requirements scarce.	Range Extent: 20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Occurences: 6 - 20	Population Size: Unknown
Area of Occupancy: This butterfly has an Area of Occupancy of 17km2 calculated on GeoCat using points from GBIF.org, iNaturalist, Butterflies of New Mexico and Toliver et al. 2001.	Threat Summary: N/A

State Status:

Federal Status:

USFS Status:

BLM Status:

SWAP Status: SGCN

NMRP Strategy Status:

Number of Subpopulations: 1

Number of Mapped Locations: 3

Number of Observations: 0

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