Species Information

Kingdom: Animalia
  Phylum: Arthropoda
    Class: Insecta
      Order: Lepidoptera
        Family: Nymphalidae
          Genus: Euphydryas
            Species: anicia brucei

Tundra Anicia Checkerspot - Euphydryas anicia brucei

Tundra Anicia Checkerspot

Image courtesy of Biota Information System of New Mexico

1383040

Species Extent (New Mexico)

Status

Global Rank: G5

State Rank: S1

Rank Metadata
State Rank: S1 Rank Changed: 04/23/2025
Rank Reviewed: N/A
Reason: The Tundra Anicia Checkerspot (<em>Euphydryas anicia brucei</em>) is a mountain meadow taxa endemic to the Sangre de Cristo mountains in northern New Mexico and Colorado.The population size and trend are not known for this taxa and determination of both will be crucial for the long term survival of this subspecies. As a mountain top specialist this subspecies appears to be very threatened by climate change and more research is needed on how it is specifically affecting the taxa however, it is known that other Anicia Checkerspot (<em>Euphydryas anicia</em>) subspecies including the Sacramento Mountains Checkerspot Butterfly (<em>E.a. cloudcrofti</em>) have recently been driven to near extinction by the effects of climate change. There is also lacking life history information for this taxa including determination of its host plant. This taxa being endemic to mountain tops in just a single mountain range has a small area of occupancy of just 3m<sup>2</sup>. Additionally, this butterfly is only known from three occurrences in New Mexico those being one on Wheeler Peak, one on Baldy Mountain, and one on Touch-Me-Not Mountain. Due to climate change pushing this subspecies to higher elevation this taxa also has an inferred continuing decline in its extent of habitat. As a result, the Tundra Anicia Checkerspot is currently assessed as S1 in New Mexico. However, more research is needed on this taxa and a reassessment should be done if more becomes available.
 
Ecological Factors
Specificity: Unknown Range Extent: <100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Occurences: 1 - 5 Population Size: Unknown
Area of Occupancy: An Area of Occupancy of 3km2 was calculated GeoCat with data 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:

Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database

Number of Subpopulations: 1

Number of Mapped Locations: 1

Number of Observations: 0


Species Related Publications

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