Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Rule To List the Laguna Mountains Skipper and Quino Checkerspot Butterflies as Endangered

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The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to list the Laguna Mountains skipper (Pyrgus ruralis lagunae) and quino checkerspot (Euphydryas editha quino) butterflies as endangered species throughout their respective ranges in southwestern California and northwestern Baja California, Mexico pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Laguna Mountains skipper occupies two montane meadow habitats in a very restricted range within San Diego County, California. The quino checkerspot is locally distributed in sunny openings within chaparral and coastal sage shrublands in portions of Riverside County, California and northwestern Baja California, Mexico. These species are threatened by one or more of the following factors: Grazing, urban development, collection by lepidopterists and other human disturbance, stochastic events, and the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms to provide for their conservation. This proposed rule, if made final, would extend protection under the Act to these species.