The New Mexico Rare Arthropod Resource

Little research has been done on the specific habitats and ecology of subspecies neomexicanus. However, in New Mexico this butterfly seems to prefer pine savannahs rather than than the usual cold steppe grasslands and shortgrass prairie the species prefers throughout the northern parts of the range (Cary and Toliver 2024). The main host plant seems to be Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) though, Agropyron longifolius, Koeleria macrantha and Stipa comata may also be used and more research is needed on the subject (Cary and Toliver 2024). This butterfly is univoltine with records spanning late May to late July (May 31st to July 26th) with flight peaking in June (Austin 1986, Cary and Toliver 2024). This butterfly overwinters as a middle instar larvae (Cary and Toliver 2024).

The New Mexico Arctic was described from Bluewater Lake State Park, just west of Grants New Mexico. It seems to be an isolate in far western New Mexico and eastern Arizona (Austin 1986, Cary and Toliver 2024), with specimens potentially ranging as far south as in the Gila region of New Mexico (Cary and Toliver 2024). This butterfly is usually found between 1920 and 2800 meters (6300 and 9200 feet) in elevation (Cary and Toliver 2024).

There are no known conservation actions being taken for this butterfly and no previous known assessments. With the large threat posed by climate change however, conservation actions are likely warranted. The most needed conservation action for this butterfly is undoubtedly just more research including better identification of host plants, number of colonies, range, threats to the butterfly and other life history characteristics as this information will be crucial to inform any future conservation for this butterfly.

More research is needed on the threats to this butterfly though, several significant threats are susepected. As an arctic taxon, this species is highly adapted to cold weather conditions, with most of its distribution occurring in Canada and the northern United States, with just a few mountain top populations remaining southward (GBIF.org 2024). This subspecies is at the southern extreme of its range, and therefore is likley the most threatened by climate change. Many butterflies respond to climate change by moving to higher elevations or latitudes though, this is not an option for this taxon as there are no higher elevation habitats to shift to. As a result, a small amount of warming could impact all suitable habitat (Forister et al. 2010, Holland 2010, Rodder et al. 2021). Phenological mismatch with the host plant or nectar sources is also a potential consequence of this climate warming (Singer and Parmesan 2010, Patterson et al. 2019).

Additionally, wildfire and fire management may pose a serious threat to this species. Catastrophic wildfires could result in large amounts of direct mortality, whereas fire suppression could choke out the grasses this taxa relies on, as more shrubs and trees move in. In addition, invasive grass species may alter the fire regimes of these meadows and otherwise be able to outcompete the native grasses this taxa relies on.

This butterfly is also likely threatened by inbreeding depression as this subspecies is very isolated from any other Oeneis ridingsii.  Inbreeding depression can result in these isolated populations when slightly deleterious alleles accumulate in small populations, reducing the likelihood of population persistence (Hedrick 1994, Lynch et al. 1995). The accumulation of deleterious alleles and reduction in heterozygosity have been shown to reduce survival rates at several important life stages in butterflies, including those that have an effect on population stability and persistence (Saccheri et al. 1998, Nieminen et al. 2001). A reduction in fitness resulting from the loss of genetic diversity significantly increases the risk of extinction when populations are subject to environmental stress.

The population size and trend are not known for this subspecies. Determination of population size and monitoring of population trends is necessary to ensure the population is stable. Especially as several widespread, relatively common species of butterfly are in decline across the American west (Forister et al. 2021).

• Forister, M.L., McCall, A.C., Sanders, N.J., Fordyce, J.A., Thorne, J.H., O’Brien, J., Waetjen, D.P. and Shapiro, A.M.. 2010. Compounded effects of climate change and habitat alteration shift patterns of butterfly diversity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107: (2088-2092).
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Otero County, The Village of Cloudcroft, and U.S. Forest Service. 2004. Conservation Plan for the Sacramento Mountains Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti). Albuquerque, NM : (80).
• Singer, M.C. and Parmesan, C.. 2010. Phenological asynchrony between herbivorous insects and their hosts: signal of climate change or pre-existing adaptive strategy?. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 365: (3161-3176).
• Rödder, D., Schmitt, T., Gros, P., Ulrich, W. and Habel, J.C.. 2021. Climate change drives mountain butterflies towards the summits. Scientific Reports 11: (45303).
• Forister, M.L., Halsch, C.A., Nice, C.C., Fordyce, J.A., Dilts, T.E., Oliver, J.C., Prudic, K.L., Shapiro, A.M., Wilson, J.K. and Glassberg, J. . 2021. Fewer butterflies seen by community scientists across the warming and drying landscapes of the American West. Science 371: (1042-1045).
• Saccheri, I., Kuussaari, M., Kankare, M., Vikman, P., Fortelius, W. and Hanski, I. . 1998. Inbreeding and extinction in a butterfly metapopulation. Nature 392: (491-494).
• Nieminen, M., Singer, M.C., Fortelius, W., Schlops, K. and Hanski, I.. 2001. Confirmation that inbreeding depression increases extinction risk in butterfly populations. The American Naturalist 157: (237-244).
• Hedrick, P.W.. 1994. Purging inbreeding depression and the probability of extinction: full-sib mating. Heredity 73: (363-372).
• Lynch, M., Conery, J. and Burger, R.. 1995. Mutation accumulation and the extinction of small populations. American Society of Naturalists 146: (489-518).
• Patterson, T. A., Grundel, R., Dzurisin, J. D., Knutson, R. L., & Hellmann, J. J.. 2019. Evidence of an extreme weather‐induced phenological mismatch and a local extirpation of the endangered Karner Blue butterfly.. Conservation Science and Practice 2. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.147
• Cary, S.J. and Toliver, M.E. . 2024. Butterflies of New Mexico.. Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC). https://peecnature.org/butterflies-of-new-mexico/
• sRedList. 2024. sRedList Platform - a tool to support Red List assessments (Version 1.1). LifeWatch ERIC. https://doi.org/10.48372/DSKB-JE13
• Holland, R.. 2010. A New Subspecies of Satyrium titus (Lycaenidae: Theclinae) from South Central New Mexico. The Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 64: (166-171). https://doi.org/10.18473/lepi.v64i3.a6
• Austin G.T. . 1986. A review of the satyrine genus Neominois, with descriptions of three new subspecies. Bulletin of the Allyn Museum 107: (45318). https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/56/2017/05/McGuire-AME107.pdf
• GBIF.org. 2024. GBIF Occurrence Download. https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.xn285w
• Pelham, J.P.. 2023. A catalogue of the butterflies of the United States and Canada. Revised 15 February 2023. http://butterfliesofamerica.com/US-Can-Cat.htm