User:AndreaNwilliams/Uncompahgre fritillary

= Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly =

The Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly (Clossiana improba acrocnema) is a species of butterfly in the Order Lepidoptera, Family Nymphalidae that is endemic to Colorado, USA.

Description
Discovered in the summer of 1978, the Uncompahgre fritillary was first described as a subspecies of Boloria improba, commonly known as the dingy fritillary but further genetic data supported classifying them as a species. The closest known relative of the Uncompahgre fritillary is Clossiana harryi, found within the Wind River Mountain Range in Wyoming. The adult butterflies are small with a fuzzy, dark brown to black body and brown-black antennae. Their wingspan is approximately 1 inch wide and they can be tan, orange, brown and black in color with a distinct triangular shape emerging on the dorsal and ventral wing. The males and females are differentiated by the females wings being slightly lighter in color than the males.

Distribution
The Uncompahgre fritillary was first found above tree-line at Uncompahgre Peak, located in Hinsdale County, Colorado, USA by Larry Gall, Felix Sperling, Scott Graham, Kathleen Shaw, and Wendy Roberts working out of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. A few years following, another population was found at Redcloud Peak, about 10 miles south of Uncompahgre Peak.

It is endemic to the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, USA and has one of the smallest known ranges of all North American butterflies.

The habitat of the Uncompahgre fritillary includes high elevations (3800-4100m above sea level), northeast facing montane meadows with varying slopes.

Host plant
The Uncompahgre fritillary is a specialist species regarding their selected larval food source and egg-laying substrate. They can be found in habitats that have patches of their host plant which is snow willow (Salix nivalis).

Life Cycle
Female butterflies lay their eggs individually on snow willow stems and leaves around the middle of July and don't hatch until numerous weeks later. The eggs are tan in color and take multiple weeks to hatch which the larvae then feed on snow willow leaves throughout their biennial life cycle and overwinter under the snow until they emerge the following spring and molt.

Population decline
Mark-recapture methods completed within a decade of their discovery showed consistently low population estimates at Uncompahgre Peak and Redcloud Peak. It was thought to be on the edge of extinction and was added to the Endangered Species List in 1991. Since then, early monitoring programs have found a number of additional populations in the San Juan Mountains but the small numbers detected at each of these locations remain inadequate for delisting. An additional threat is the possibility of low genetic variability between the populations.

Recovery efforts
The Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly is still considered Federally Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the recovery plan prioritizes actions to better understand the reasons for their continuous decline and prevention from significant population declines and extinction. Predicted threats to this species include: climate change, grazing, illegal collection, and recreation. Efforts have taken place to install signage at the trailheads of popular hiking trails, Redcloud Peak and Uncompahgre Peak. The trails have also been diverted to around the populations, whereas they were crossing directly through the butterfly colonies before.