Hermes copper

Lycaena hermes, the Hermes copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Mexico and southern California in the United States. It is known from a small number of areas. Forest fires in the San Diego area in 2003 and 2007 destroyed most of the populations.[2]

Hermes copper
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Lycaena
Species:
L. hermes
Binomial name
Lycaena hermes
(W.H. Edwards, 1870)

The habitat disturbance that occurred in 2003 and 2007 were two wildfires in San Diego, California, which led to the dispersal of the Hermes copper butterfly. Reconciliation was necessary in order to avoid extinction and negative impacts associated with inbreeding.

The wingspan is 25–32 mm. The upperside of the wings is brown with an orange area, which is bordered by black dots. The underside of the wings is bright yellow with black dots.

The larvae feed on Rhamnus crocea.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared one of Southern California's rarest butterflies -- the Hermes copper butterfly -- as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act Monday, December 20, 2021. The agency also designated 35,000 acres in San Diego County as protected critical habitat.

References
  1. Gimenez Dixon, M. (1996). "Lycaena hermes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T12435A3348208. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T12435A3348208.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. Hadley, Debbie (2009-04-20). "Saving the Hermes Copper butterfly". About.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-18.
  • Marshalek, Daniel A; Deutschman, Douglas H; Strahm, Spring; Berres, Mark E (2016). "Dynamic landscapes shape post‐wildfire recolonisation and genetic structure of the endangered Hermes copper (Lycaena hermes) butterfly". Ecological Entomology. Madison, Wisconsin: The Royal Entomological Society. doi:10.1111/een.12301.


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