Tag Archives: San Mateo County

Melanoplus nanus Scudder

Small Spur-throat Grasshopper (Melanoplus nanus)

The Small Spur-throat Grasshopper was described in 1898, it was apparently only found in few places in the Alameda – , the Marin – , and the San Mateo Counties in California, USA.

The species inhabited dry grassy hillsides.

The males reached sizes of about 1,4 cm, the females were slightly larger, both sexes were fuscous light-brown colored.

The Small Spur-throat Grasshopper is now considered possibly extinct, however, reasons for this assumption are not given.

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References:

[1] Samuel H. Scudder: Supplement to a revision of the Melanopli. Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences 7: 157-205. 1899

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Depiction from: ‘Samuel H. Scudder: Supplement to a revision of the Melanopli. Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences 7: 157-205. 1899’

(public domain)

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edited: 31.08.2019

Speyeria zerene ssp. myrtleae dos Passos & Grey

Myrtle’s Fritillary (Speyeria zerene ssp. myrtleae)

Myrtle’s Fritillary, also known Myrtle’s Silverspot, a subspecies of the Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zereneSwainson) (see photo), was described in 1945, it was restricted to Pescadero Point in San Mateo County in California, USA.

The larvae are known to have fed on the Hookedspur Violet (Viola adunca Sm.).

Myrtle’s Fritillary was apparently last recorded around 1919 and is now considered extinct.

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The taxonomic situation of this form, however, is not finally solved and thus it might be identical with another form, the Point Reyes Fritillary (Speyeria zerene ssp. puntareyes Emmel & Emmel), which is restricted to the southernmost Sonoma County of california, and which itself is highly threatened.

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Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene Swainson); nominate form

Depiction from: ‘Willian H. Edwards: The Butterflies of North America. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin 1884-88’   

(not in copyright)

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edited: 03.10.2020

Cirsium praeteriens J. F. Macbr.

Palo Alto Thistle (Cirsium praeteriens)

The Palo Alto Thistle was described in 1918, it is known only from two collections from 1897 and 1901 respectively.

The species resembles the probably closely related Franciscan Thistle (Cirsium andrewsii (A. Gray) Petr.) but differs from that species in having long involucral spines.

The Palo Alto Thistle was not found since the beginning of the 20th century and is considered extinct.

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edited: 14.01.2019