May 4, 2004
04-43

Contact: Betsy Lordan 202-219-7499

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Publishes Updated List of Candidate Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published a revised list of
species of plants and animals that may warrant protection under the
Endangered Species Act, including 26 new candidate species added since the
Candidate Notice of Review was last published in 2002.

If the Service has sufficient information to propose listing a species as
threatened or endangered, but is precluded from taking action by other,
higher listing priorities, the species becomes a candidate species.

The Service publishes an updated Candidate Notice of Review primarily to
solicit new information on the status of candidate species and threats to
their survival. Service biologists rely on a variety of sources for the
scientific determination of whether a species may warrant listing under the
Act, including information from private, university and government
scientists, local, State and Federal land management and planning agencies
and private citizens.

The Notice also informs the public about species the Service is considering
proposing for protection, and it encourages conservation of candidate
species. In addition, the notice includes 24 domestic animal species that
have already been proposed for addition to the list of endangered and
threatened wildlife and plants, but for which a final listing determination
has not been made. A proposal undergoes public review and comment before a
final decision is made.

"The candidate list is an important tool, helping to identify imperiled
species and focusing attention on the need to conserve them before they
have to receive Endangered Species Act protection. By working to recover
these species now, in partnership with states, local communities and
individuals, we can implement flexible, cost-effective conservation
measures that put them on the road to recovery," said Service Director
Steve Williams.

The Service has removed 19 species from the Candidate Species List since
the lists were last revised in 2002:

·     One species was removed because currently available information does
not support a listing proposal.

·     Four species were removed because the proposal to list them was
withdrawn.

·     Fourteen proposed species became listed as endangered.

The complete notice and list of candidates and proposed species appear in
today's Federal Register. Species added to the candidate list since 2002
are listed below.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses more than 544 national wildlife refuges,
thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also
operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 fishery resource offices and 81
ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife
laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program
that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing
and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.



              Species Added to the Candidate List Since 2002:


Region


MAMMAL

Fisher, West Coast Population (Martes pennanti)
      Pacific    California, Oregon, and Washington

BIRDS

Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Alaskan coastal waters Alaska
Xantus' Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus)
U.S. and Mexican West Coast Pacific

AMPHIBIANS

Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana muscosa)
Pacific  Sierra Nevada Distinct Population Segment
Yosemite Toad (Bufo canorus)
Pacific  California


MUSSELS

Seven Gulf Coast Mussels
Round Ebonyshell (Fusconaia rotulata)
Southeast
Southern Kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus jonesi)
Southeast
Narrow Pigtoe (Fusconaia escambia)
Southeast
Southern Sandshell (Lampsilis australis)
Southeast
Fuzzy Pigtoe (Pleurobema strodeanum)
Southeast
Choctaw Bean (Villosa choctawensis)
Southeast
Tapered Pigtoe (Quincuncina burkei)
Southeast

Three Other Mussel species

Rayed Bean (Villosa fabalis)
Entire Tennessee River system; southern Ohio River
Midwest
Sheepnose Mussel (Plethobasus cyphyus)
Mississippi River system streams
Midwest
Spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta)
Streams in the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri Rivers
Midwest


Region
INSECTS

Five cave beetles
Coleman Cave Beetle (Pseudanophthalmus colemanensis)
Montgomery County, Tennessee
Southeast
Fowler's Cave Beetle (Pseudanophthalmus fowlerae)
Clay County, Tennessee
Southeast
Insular Cave Beetle (Pseudanophthalmus insularis)
       Davidson County, Tenessee
Southeast
Soothsayer Cave Beetle (Pseudanophthalmus tiresias)
DeKalb County, Tennessee
Southeast
Noblett's Cave Beetle (Pseudanophthalmus paulus)
      Monroe County, Tennessee
Southeast

One other insect
Nevares Spring Naucorid Bug (Ambrysus funebris)
      Inyo County, California
Pacific

FLOWERING PLANTS

Hala Pepe (Pleomele fernaldii)
Hawaiian Island of Lanai
Pacific
Brand's Phacelia (Phacelia stellaris)
San Diego County, Riverside County, California
Pacific
Churchill Narrows Buckwheat (Eriogonum diatomaceum)
Lyon County, Nevada
Pacific
Orcutt's Hazardia (Hazardia orcuttii)
Encinitas, California
Pacific
Everglades Bully (Sideroxylon reclinatum ssp. austrofloridense)
      Miami-Dade County, Florida
Southeast

            Species Removed From the Candidate List Since 2002:

MAMMALS

Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)
Pacific
      Columbia Basin Distinct Population Segment
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
San Miguel Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis littoralis)
            Pacific
      Channel Islands
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
Santa Catalina Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae)
      Pacific
      Channel Islands
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
Santa Cruz Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis santacruzae)
Pacific
      Channel Islands
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
Santa Rosa Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis santarosae)
      Pacific
Channel Islands
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered

BIRDS

Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus)
Mountain-Prairie
      Western U.S., Canada, Mexico
              Reason for removal: Proposed listing withdrawn

AMPHIBIANS

California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense)
      Pacific
      Sonoma County Distinct Population Segment
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana muscosa)
Pacific
      Southern California Distinct Population Segment
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered

FISH

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki)
Pacific
      Southwestern Washington/Columbia River Distinct Population Segment
              Reason for removal: Proposed listing withdrawn

SNAIL

Tumbling Creek Cavesnail (Antrobia culveri)
         Midwest
      Missouri
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
INSECT

Carson wandering Skipper (Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus)
Pacific
      California, Nevada
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered

FLOWERING PLANTS

Ambrosia (Ambrosia pumila)
Pacific
      San Diego
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
Slick Spot Peppergrass (Lepidium papilliferum)
Pacific
      Idaho
              Reason for removal: Proposed listing withdrawn

Large-flowered Wooly Meadowfoam (Limnanthes floccosa grandiflora)
      Pacific
      Oregon
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
Cook's Lomatium (Lomatium cookii)
Pacific
      Oregon
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
No Common Name (Nesogenes rotensis)
Pacific
      Mariana Islands
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
No Common Name (Osmoxylon mariannense)
Pacific
      Mariana Islands
                 Reason for removal: Listed as endangered
No Common Name (Tabernaemontana rotensis)
Pacific  Mariana Islands, Guam
              Reason for removal: Proposed listing withdrawn

FERN

No Common Name (Dryopteris glabra var. pusilla (=Dryopteris tenebrosa))
      Pacific       Hawaii
   Reason for removal: Information currently available does not support listing




#######
-----------------------------***-----------------------------

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material  herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have
expressed  a  prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and  educational purposes only. For more information go to:
 http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml