Official Extinctions Archives - R.A. Fedde https://fedde.studio/category/official-extinctions/ artwork by R.A. Fedde Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:21:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 207429241 Po’ouli https://fedde.studio/poouli/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:37:33 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Po’ouli appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Po'ouli, 2022

po’ouli

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

SOLD


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The po`ouli was known only from the island of Maui in the Hawaiian Islands and was first discovered in 1973, in high-elevation rainforest on the east slope of Haleakala (USFWS 2006, p. 2-146). Fossil evidence shows that the po`ouli once inhabited drier forests at lower elevation on the leeward slope of Haleakala, indicating it once had a much broader geographic and habitat range (USFWS 2006, p. 2-147). Po`ouli were observed singly, in pairs, and in family groups consisting of both parents and a single offspring (Pratt et al. 1997, p. 1). Po`ouli foraged primarily on tree branches, making extensive use of the subcanopy and understory. They seemed to have preferred the native hydrangea (kanawao ( Broussaisia arguta )), the native holly (kawau ( Ilex anomala )), and ohia ( Metrosideros polymorpha ) (Pratt et al. 1997, p. 4). 

Po`ouli gleaned from, probed, and excavated moss mats, lichen, and bark for small invertebrate prey. Egg-laying took place in March and April for two nests observed, and clutch size was probably two eggs (Kepler et al. 1996, pp. 620-638). The female alone incubated eggs and brooded chicks, but both parents fed the chicks. Throughout nesting, the male fed the female at or away from the nest. Po`ouli often associated with mixed species foraging flocks of other insectivorous honeycreepers. Po`ouli were unusually quiet. Males rarely sang and did so mostly as part of courtship prior to egg-laying. The maximum lifespan of this species is estimated to be 9 years (The Animal Aging and Longevity Database 2020, unpaginated).

The po`ouli was a medium-sized, 0.9 ounce (26 gram), stocky Hawaiian honeycreeper, easily recognized by its brown plumage and characteristic black mask framed by a gray crown and white cheek patch. However, po`ouli were unusually quiet. Although distinctive visually, because the species rarely vocalized, it was difficult to survey by audio detections.

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Bachman’s Warbler https://fedde.studio/bachmans-warbler/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:35:19 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Bachman’s Warbler appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Bachman's Warbler, 2022

Bachman’s Warbler

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

SOLD


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The Bachman's warbler ( Vermivora bachmanii ) was listed on March 11, 1967 (32 FR 4001), as endangered under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, as a result of the loss of breeding and wintering habitat. 

The Bachman's warbler was first named in 1833 as Sylvia bachmanii based on a bird observed in a swamp near Charleston, South Carolina (AOU 1983, pp. 601-602). The Bachman's warbler was among the smallest warblers with a total length of 11.0 to 11.5 centimeters (cm) (4.3 to 4.5 inches (in)). The species was found in the southeastern portions of the United States from the south Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, extending inland in floodplains of major rivers (eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, bootheel of Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolinas, Virginia, and flyovers in Florida). However, breeding was documented only in northeast Arkansas, southeast Missouri, southwest Kentucky, central Alabama, and southeast South Carolina. Bachman's warbler was a neotropical migrant; historically, the bulk of the species' population left the North American mainland each fall for Cuba and Isle of Pines.

The Bachman's warbler was one of the smallest warblers with a total length of 11.0 to 11.5 cm. The bill was slender with a slight downward curve in both sexes and was a unique feature within the genus. The male was olive-green above with yellow forehead, lores, eye-ring, chin, and underparts; a black throat and crown; and dusky wings and tail. Males also had a yellow shoulder patch and bright rump. Generally, while similar, plumage of females was paler. Females lacked any black coloration and had olive green upperparts with yellow forehead and underparts. The eye-ring was whiter than in the males, and the crown was grayish. The dark patch on the throat was usually missing and the eye-ring was pale. Females had a buffy or bright yellowish forehead and a gray crown with no black; a whitish or white crissum; and less pronounced white spots on the tail.

At breeding grounds, the loss of habitat from clearing of large tracts of palustrine ( i.e., having trees, shrubs, or emergent vegetation) wetland beginning in the 1800s was a major factor in the decline of the Bachman's warbler. Most of the palustrine habitat in the Mississippi Valley (and large proportions in Florida) was historically converted to agriculture or affected by other human activities (Fretwell et al. 1996, pp. 8, 10, 124, 246). Often the higher, drier portions of land that the Bachman's warbler required for breeding were the first to be cleared because they were more accessible and least prone to flooding (Hamel 1995, pp. 5, 11; Service 2015, p. 4). During World Wars I and II, many of the remaining large tracts of old growth bottomland forest were cut, and the timber was used to support the war effort (Jackson 2020, Conservation and Management, p. 2). At the wintering grounds of Cuba, extensive loss of primary forest wintering habitat occurred due to the clearing of large areas of the lowlands for sugarcane production (Hamel 2018, p. 24). Hurricanes also may have caused extensive damage to habitat and direct loss of overwintering Bachman's warblers. Five hurricanes occurred between November 1932 and October 1935. Two storms struck western Cuba in October 1933, and the November 1932 hurricane is considered one of the most destructive ever recorded. These hurricanes, occurring when Bachman's warblers would have been present at their wintering grounds in Cuba, may have resulted in large losses of the birds

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Ivory-billed Woodpecker, or The Lord God Bird https://fedde.studio/ivory-billed-woodpecker/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:31:35 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Ivory-billed Woodpecker, or The Lord God Bird appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Ivory-billed Woodpecker, or The Lord God Bird, 2022

Ivory-billed Woodpecker

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

SOLD


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The ivory-billed woodpecker ( Campephilus principalis ) was first described by Mark Catesby in 1731 (Tanner 1942, p. xv), under a different taxonomic nomenclature. It was the largest woodpecker in the United States and the second largest in North America with an overall length of approximately 48-51 centimeters (cm) (18-20 inches), an estimated wingspan of 76-80 cm (29-31 inches), and a weight of 454-567 grams (g) (16-20 ounces); however, data from live birds are lacking, so these estimates were based on observations by ornithologists from the late 19th century who collected specimens

The ivory-billed woodpecker had a black and white plumage with a white chisel-tipped beak, yellow eyes, and a pointed crest. It was sexually dimorphic, with the sexes exhibiting different characteristics ( i.e., sizes, coloring, etc.). Females had a solid black crest, and males were red from the nape to the top of the crest with an outline of black on the front of the crest (Service 2010, p. 1). This large woodpecker produced distinctive sounds and had distinctive markings ( e.g., large white patch on the wing that can be seen from long distances (Tanner 1942, p. 1)), indicating a certain degree of detectability during surveys, if present.

Survey Effo

The last commonly agreed-upon sighting of the species was on the Singer Tract in the Tensas River region of northeast Louisiana in April of 1944.


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Yellow-blossom Pearly Mussel https://fedde.studio/yellow-blossom-pearly-mussel/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:28:51 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Yellow-blossom Pearly Mussel appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Yellow-blossom Pearly Mussel, 2022

Yellow Blossom Pearly Mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

$97 including US shipping


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The yellow blossom (pearly mussel), Epioblasma florentina florentina, was listed as endangered on June 14, 1976.  At the time of listing, the single greatest factor contributing to the species' decline was the alteration and destruction of stream habitat due to impoundments.

The yellow blossom seldom achieved more than 2.4 inches (6 centimeters) in length. The slightly inflated valves were of unequal length, and the shell surface was marked by uneven growth lines. The shell was a shiny honey-yellow or tan with numerous green rays uniformly distributed over the surface. The inner shell surface was bluish-white.



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Upland Combshell https://fedde.studio/upland-combshell/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:26:00 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Upland Combshell appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Upland Combshell, 2022

Turgid Blossom Pearly-mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

$97 including US shipping


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The upland combshell, Epioblasma metastriata, was listed as endangered on March 17, 1993 (58 FR 14330), primarily due to habitat modification, sedimentation, and water quality degradation. The upland combshell was described in 1838, from the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River near Blount Springs, Alabama (58 FR 14330, March 17, 1993, p. 14331). Adult upland combshells were rhomboidal to quadrate in shape and were approximately 2.4 inches in length.

 

The upland combshell was historically found in shoals in rivers and large streams in the Black Warrior, Cahaba, and Coosa River systems above the Fall Line in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee (Service 2000, p. 61). As with many of the freshwater mussels in the Mobile River Basin, it was found in stable sand, gravel, and cobble in moderate to swift currents. The historical range included the Black Warrior River and tributaries (Mulberry Fork and Valley Creek); Cahaba River and tributaries (Little Cahaba River and Buck Creek); and the Coosa River and tributaries (Choccolocco Creek and Etowah, Conasauga, and Chatooga Rivers).



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Turgid-blossom Pearly Mussel https://fedde.studio/turgid-blossom-pearly-mussel/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:23:14 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Turgid-blossom Pearly Mussel appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Turgid-blossom Pearly Mussel, 2022

Turgid Blossom Pearly-mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

SOLD


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The turgid blossom (pearly mussel), Epioblasma turgidula, was listed as endangered on June 14, 1976. 

The turgid blossom was a medium-river, Cumberlandian-type mussel that was also reported from the Ozarks. These mussels could live as long as 50 years or more. The species was strongly dimorphic; males and females differed in shape and structure. This species seldom exceeded 1.6 inches (4.1 centimeters) in shell length. Shells of the male tended to be more elliptical or oval, while females tended to be more rounded. Valves were inequilateral, solid, and slightly inflated. The outer shell was shiny yellowish-green with numerous fine green rays over the entire surface. The shell surface was marked by irregular growth lines that are especially strong on females. The inner shell surface was bluish-white.

Habitat within the historical range of the turgid blossom has been significantly altered by water impoundments, siltation, and pollution. The last known collection of the species was more than 45 years ago. Mussel experts conclude that the species is likely to be extinct.



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Tubercled-blossom Pearly Mussel https://fedde.studio/tubercled-blossom-pearly-mussel/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:20:39 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Tubercled-blossom Pearly Mussel appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Tubercled-blossom Pearly Mussel, 2022

Tubercled Blossom Pearly Mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

$97 including US shipping


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The tubercled blossom (pearly mussel), Epioblasma torulosa torulosa, was listed as endangered on June 14, 1976. At the time of listing, the greatest factor contributing to the species' decline was the alteration and destruction of stream habitat due to impoundments.

The tubercled blossom was medium-sized, reaching about 3.6 inches (9.1 centimeters) in shell length, and could live as long as 50 years or more. The shell was irregularly egg-shaped or elliptical, slightly sculptured, and corrugated with distinct growth lines. The outer surface was smooth and shiny; was tawny, yellowish-green, or straw-colored; and usually had numerous green rays

The single greatest factor contributing to the decline of the tubercled blossom is the alteration and destruction of stream habitat due to impoundments for flood control, navigation, hydroelectric power production, and recreation. Siltation is another factor that has severely affected the tubercled blossom. Increased silt transport into waterways due to strip mining, coal washing, dredging, farming, logging, and road construction increased turbidity and consequently reduced the depth of light penetration and created a blanketing effect on the substrate. The 1985 recovery plan documented numerous coal operations within the range of the tubercled blossom that were causing increased silt runoff. A third factor is the impact caused by various pollutants. An increasing number of streams throughout the blossom's range receive municipal, agricultural, and industrial waste discharges.


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Southern Acornshell Mussel https://fedde.studio/southern-acornshell-mussel/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:16:22 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Southern Acornshell Mussel appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Green-blossom Pearly Mussel, 2022

Southern Acornshell Mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

$97 including US shipping


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The southern acornshell ( Epioblasma othcaloogensis ) was listed as endangered on March 17, 1993 (58 FR 14330), primarily due to habitat modification, sedimentation, and water quality degradation. 

The southern acornshell was described in 1857 from Othcalooga Creek in Gordon County, Georgia. Adult southern acornshells were round to oval in shape and approximately 1.2 inches in length. 

Habitat modification was the major cause of decline of the southern acornshell (Service 2000, p. 57). Other threats included channel improvements such as clearing and snagging, as well as sand and gravel mining, diversion of flood flows, and water removal for municipal use; these activities impacted mussels by alteration of the river substrate, increasing sedimentation, alteration of water flows, and direct mortality from dredging and snagging (Service 2000, p. 6-13). Runoff from fertilizers and pesticides results in algal blooms and excessive growth of other aquatic vegetation, resulting in eutrophication and death of mussels due to lack of oxygen.


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Green-blossom Pearly Mussel https://fedde.studio/green_blossom_pearly_mussel/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:12:40 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Green-blossom Pearly Mussel appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Green-blossom Pearly Mussel, 2022

Green Blossom Pearly Mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

$97 including US shipping


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The green blossom (pearly mussel), Epioblasma torulosa gubernaculum, was listed as endangered on June 14, 1976. The last known record for the green blossom was a live individual collected in 1982, in the Clinch River at Pendleton Island, Virginia.

Stream impoundment affects species composition by eliminating those species not capable of adapting to reduced flows and altered temperatures. Tributary dams typically have storage impoundments with cold water discharges and sufficient storage volume to cause the stream below the dam to differ significantly from pre-impoundment conditions. These hypolimnial discharges result in altered temperature regimes, extreme water level fluctuations, reduced turbidity, seasonal oxygen deficits, and high concentrations of certain heavy metals (TVA 1980, entire).

 

Siltation within the range of the green blossom, resulting from strip mining, coal washing, dredging, farming, and road construction, also likely severely affected the species. Since most freshwater mussels are riverine species that require clean, flowing water over stable, silt-free rubble, gravel, or sand shoals, smothering caused by siltation can be detrimental.


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Flat Pigtoe Mussel https://fedde.studio/flat_pigtoe_mussel/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 02:07:19 +0000 https://fedde.studio/?p=250 The post Flat Pigtoe Mussel appeared first on R.A. Fedde.

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Flat Pigtoe Mussel, 2022

Flat Pigtoe Mussel

mixed media on paper with metallic accents

5.125" x 7"

$97 including US shipping


From the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for removing 23 species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to extinction:

The flat pigtoe (formerly known as Marshall's pearly mussel), Pleurobema marshalli, was listed as endangered on April 7, 1987 (52 FR 11162) primarily due to habitat alteration from a free-flowing riverine system to an impounded system.

The flat pigtoe was historically known from the Tombigbee River from just above Tibbee Creek near Columbus, Mississippi, downstream to Epes, Alabama (USFWS 1989, p. 3). Surveys in historical habitat over the past three decades have failed to locate the species, and all historical habitat is impounded or modified by channelization and impoundments (USFWS 2015, p. 5). No live or freshly dead shells have been observed since the species was listed in 1987.

Habitat modification is the major cause of decline of the flat pigtoe. The flat pigtoe has not been collected alive since completion of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in 1984.


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