Disappeared Sonoran Blue (Philotes sonorensis ssp. extinctis)
The Sonoran Blue (Philotes sonorensis (C. Felder & R. Felder)) is distributed from Colorado and California, USA southward to parts of Mexico.
The caterpillars of this species feed on the leaves of various Dudleya species, including Dudleya cymosa (Lem.) Britton & Rose, Dudleya lanceolata (Nutt.) Britt. & Rose, and Dudleya saxosa (M. E. Jones) Britt. & Rose.
***
The Disappeared Sonoran Blue occurred in a small area at the San Gabriel River in southern California, and disappeared in 1967 or 1968 after the destruction of its habitat due to an engineering program for water diversion – it was recognized as a distinct subspecies (the only other subspecies aside from the nominate race) only several years after its extinction.
*********************
References:
[1] Rudolf H. T. Mattoni: An unrecognized, now extinct, Los Angeles area butterfly (Lycaenidae). Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 28(4): 297-309. 1989(91)
*********************
*********************
edited: 01.11.2020