SENSITIVE SPECIES
We are not an endangered species ourselves yet, but this is not for a lack of trying.
– Douglas Adams
Sensitive species are those that have been listed as such by federal or state resource agencies, or by special interest groups such as the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). At least 49 sensitive species are known to occur within the Lagoon and adjacent uplands. These include 35 plants, 1 insect, 6 reptiles, and 5 birds.
SENSITIVE PLANT SPECIES
Sensitive plant species that have been observed in the Lagoon and adjacent uplands are summarized in the table below. The majority of these occur in upland habitats or at the wetland/upland transition. Most are considered rare, threatened, or endangered by the CNPS; however, three upland species are federally listed as endangered. Below are some key sensitive plant species found in Los Peñasquitos Lagoon and a comprehensive list of all of the sensitive species found in the Lagoon and nearby uplands.
Common Name: Coulter’s Goldfields
Scientific Name: Lasthenia glabratta ssp. coulteri
Status: RE-1B (Rare and Endangered in California and elsewhere)
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Common Name: Nuttall’s lotus
Scientific Name: Acmispon prostratus
Status: RE-1B (Rare and Endangered in California and elsewhere)
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Common Name: Torrey Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus torreyana ssp. torreyana
Status: RE-1B (Rare and Endangered in California and elsewhere)
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Sensitive Plant Species in Los Peñasquitos Lagoon and Adjacent Uplands
U = Wet/Upland Transition.
L = Lagoon/Dunes |
Species Name
RE = Rare & Endangered Classification 1B = Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in CA and elsewhere 2 = Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in CA but more common elsewhere 4 = Plants of Limited Distribution – a Watch List |
Common Name |
1U | Chaenactis glabriuscula var. orcuttiana (RE–1B) | Orcutt’s Pincushion |
2U | Coreopsis maritima (RE-2) | Sea Dahlia |
3U | Erysimum suffrutescens | Island Wallflower |
4U | Lepidium virginicum var. robinsonii (RE-1B) | Robinson’s Peppergrass |
5U | Ferocactus viridescens (RE-2) | Coast Barrel Cactus |
6U | Atriplex pacifica (RE-1B) | South Coast Saltscale |
7U | Dichondra occidentalis (RE-4) | Ponyfoot, Western Dichondra |
8U | Quercus dumosa (RE-1B) | Nuttall’s Scrub Oak |
9U | Pinus torreyana (RE-1B) | Torrey Pine |
10U | Chorizanthe procumbens (RE-4) | Spine-Flower |
11U | Mucronea californica (Chorizanthe californica) (RE-4) | California Spine-Flower |
12U | Calandrinia maritima (RE-4) | Seaside Red Maids |
13U | Ceanothus verrucosus (RE-2) | Wart-stemmed Ceanothus |
14L | Artemisia palmeri (RE-2) | Palmer Sagewort |
15L | Iva hayesiana (RE-2) | San Diego Marsh-Elder |
16L | Lasthenia glabrata ssp. coulteri (RE-1B) | Coulter’s Salt Marsh Daisy |
17L | Suaeda esteroa (S. californica) (RE-1B) | California Sea-Blite |
18L | Suaeda taxifolia (RE-4) | Woolly Sea-Blite |
19L | Acmispon prostratus (formerly Lotus nuttallianus) (RE-1B) | Nuttal’s Acmispon (formerly Nuttall’s Lotus) |
20L * | Phacelia stellaris (RE-1B) | Brand’s Phacelia |
21L | Abronia maritima (RE-4) | Red Sand-Verbena |
22L | Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata (RE-1B) | Coast Wooly-Heads |
23U** | Berberis nevinii (RE-1B) | Nevin’s Barberry |
24U | Bergerocactus emoryi (RE-2) | Golden-Club Cactus |
25U | Aphanisma blitoides (RE-1B) | Aphanisma |
26U | Dudleya blochmaniae ssp. brevifolia (RE-1B) | Short-Leaved Dudlyea |
27U | Dudleya variegata (RE-1B) | Variegated Dudlyea |
28U ** | Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. crassifolia (RE-1B) | Del Mar Manzanita |
29U | Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia (RE-1B) | Summer-Holly |
30U | Agave shawii (RE-2) | Shaw’s Agave |
31U | Muilla clevelandii (RE-1B) | San Diego Goldenstar |
32U | Orobanche parishii ssp. brachyloba (RE-4) | Short-Lobed Broomrape |
33U ** | Chorizanthe orcuttiana (RE-1B) | Orcutt’s Spineflower |
34U | Chorizanthe polygonoides ssp. longispina (RE-1B) | Long-Spined Spineflower |
35U | Myosurus minimus ssp. apus (RE-3) | Little Mousetail |
* Candidate for Federal Listing ** Federally Endangered
|
SENSITIVE WILDLIFE
Below are some key sensitive wildlife species found in Los Peñasquitos Lagoon and its nearby uplands, as well as some that can be found along Torrey Pines State Beach.
Photo by Walt Knufken
Common Name: Brown Pelican
Scientific Name: Pelecanus occidentalis
Status: Delisted from (Federally) Threatened in 2009
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Photo by Walt Knufken
Common Name: Belding’s savannah sparrow
Scientific Name: Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi
Status: Endangered (State)
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Common Name: Coastal cactus wren
Scientific Name: Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus sandiegensis
Status: Species of Special Concern (State)
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Common Name: Coastal California gnatcatcher
Scientific Name: Polioptila californica californica
Status: Threatened (Federal), Species of Special Concern (State)
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Photo by Walt Knufken
Common Name: Ridgway’s rail (formerly Light-footed clapper rail)
Scientific Name: Rallus obsoletus levipes
Status: Endangered (Federal & State)
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Common Name: Least Bell’s vireo
Scientific Name: Viroe bellii pusillus
Status: Endangered (Federal & State)
More Info
Photo by Walt Knufken
Common Name: Western snowy plover
Scientific Name: Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus
Status: Endangered (Federal & State)
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Common Name: Wandering skipper
Scientific Name: Panoquina errans
Status: Threatened (International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)
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Common Name: Belding’s orange-throated whiptail
Scientific Name: Cnemidophorus hyperythrus beldingi
Status: Endangered (State)
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Common Name: California legless lizard
Scientific Name: Anniella pulchra
Status: Species of Special Concern (State)
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Common Name: Coronado skink
Scientific Name: Eumeces skiltonianus interparietalis
Status: Species of Special Concern (State)
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Common Name: Red diamond rattlesnake
Scientific Name: Crotalus ruber
Status: Threatened (Federal), Species of Special Concern (State)
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Listed animal species currently present in Los Peñasquitos Lagoon and nearby uplands are provided in table below. All of the reptile species are listed as California Species of Special Concern. Bird species are either federally listed threatened and endangered, or state-listed endangered and California Species of Special Concern.
Sensitive Wildlife Species in Los Peñasquitos lagoon and Adjacent Uplands
Species | Status | Habitat | Distribution at Los Peñasquitos Lagoon |
Reptiles | |||
Orangethroat whiptail (Aspidoscelis hyperythra) | Federal Status: None
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
Coastal scrub, chaparral, sandy areas with brush and rocks for cover. | Observed in lagoon and adjacent uplands. |
Northern red diamond rattlesnake
(Crotalus ruber ruber) |
Federal Status: Threatened
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
Chaparral, woodland, grassland, desert areas with rocky areas and dense vegetation. | Observed in lagoon. Probable in adjacent uplands. |
Coronado Island skink
(Plestiodon skiltonianus interpareitalis) |
Federal Status: None
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
Grassland, chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodland, juniper sage woodland, pine-oak and pine forests. | Observed in lagoon and adjacent uplands. |
Coast horned lizard
(Phrynosom blainvillii) |
Federal Status: Endangered
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
Lowlands along sandy washes with scattered bushes. | Observed in uplands; appropriate habitat does not occur on the project site. |
Two-striped garter snake
(Thamnophis hammondii) |
Federal Status: None
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
In or near permanent freshwater; streams courses. | Not observed; appropriate habitat does not occur on the project site. |
California legless lizard (Anniella pulchra), | Federal Status: None
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
In loose, sandy soils or leaf litter, typically in sand dunes along the coast. | Observed in lagoon. |
Birds | |||
Belding’s savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi) | Federal Status: None
State Status: Endangered |
Nests in pickleweed in coastal salt marshes. | Observed in lagoon. Nests in lagoon. |
Coastal cactus wren
(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus sandiegensis) |
Federal Status: None
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
Coastal sage scrub. | One individual observed in adjacent uplands in 1984. |
Coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) | Federal Status: Threatened
State Status: Species of Special Concern |
Coastal sage scrub. | Observed and nests in adjacent uplands. |
Light-footed Ridgway’s rail
(Rallus onsoletus brevipes) formerly referred to as Light-footed Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris levipes) |
Federal Status: Endangered
State Status: Endangered |
Coastal salt marshes and brackish marshes. | Observed in lagoon. Nests in lagoon. |
California least tern
(Sturnula antillarum browni) |
Federal Status: Endangered
State Status: Endangered |
Sandy beaches, alkali flats, land fills, paved areas. | Observed in lagoon in 1980s. Does not nest in lagoon. |
Western Snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus), | Federal status: Threatened
State status: Species of Special Concern |
Sandy dunes, salt pannes, mudflats. | Infrequent visitor to lagoon. Does not nest in lagoon. |
Least Bell’s vireo
(Viroe bellii pusillus) |
Federal Status: Endangered
State Status: Endangered |
Summer resident of riparian habitats near water. | Observed in lagoon. Does not nest in lagoon. |
Insects | |||
Wandering skipper
(Panoquina errans)
|
Federal Status: None
State Status; None ICUN Status: Red List |
High salt marsh with saltgrass as larval host plant. | Observed and breeds in lagoon. |