Dozens of endangered and threatened species across the Southeast, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will undergo five-year status reviews in the coming months.
The reviews include three species found in Tennessee and aim to determine whether species' statuses have changed and provide recommendations.
"A five-year review presents an opportunity to track the species' recovery progress," according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife release. "It may benefit species by providing valuable information to guide future conservation efforts."
The reviews seek information on species biology, habitat conditions, conservation measures, threat status, trends and other new information. The federal agency can make four recommendations after the review. It can reclassify the species from threatened to endangered, reclassify the species from endangered to threatened, de-list the species or maintain the species' current classification.
Forty-eight species are under review, including the red-cockaded woodpecker. Fish and Wildlife personnel are actively working through a recovery plan for the well-known bird that was once considered common throughout the eastern United States. The species inhabited the open pine forests of the Southeast, including Tennessee, until early European settlement led to steep population declines. Now red-cockaded woodpeckers are considered extinct in Tennessee.
Species found in Tennessee include the Conasauga Logperch, Littlewing Pearlymussel and Blue Ridge goldenrod.
Public comment begins Monday and ends Oct. 5.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Common name / Scientific name, Contact personMammalsBat, Florida bonneted (Eumops floridanus)Roxanna Hinzman; Floridabonnetedbat_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-468-4341Mouse, St. Andrew beach (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis)Kristi Yanchis; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Rabbit, Lower Keys (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri)Roxanna Hinzman; Lowerkeysmarshrabbit_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4342Rice rat, (Oryzomys palustris natator)Roxanna Hinzman; Silverricerat_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4343BirdsWoodpecker, red-cockaded (Picoides borealis)Will McDearmanmississippi_field_office@fws.gov601–321–1124ReptilesCrocodile, American (Crocodylus acutus)Roxanna Hinzman; Americancrocodile_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4355Lizard, St. Croix ground (Ameiva polops)Jan Zegarra; Caribbean_es@fws.gov; 787-851-7297FishesDarter, Bayou (Etheostoma rubrum)Daniel Drennen; Mississippi_field_office@fws.gov ; 601321-1127Darter, Okaloosa (Etheostoma okaloosae)Bill Tate; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Darter, Relict (Etheostoma chienense)Mike Floyd, kentuckyes@fws.gov ; 502-695-0468Logperch, Conasauga (Percina jenkinsi)Robin Goodloe; georgiaes@fws.gov ; 706-613-9493Bankclimber, Purple (Elliptoideus sloatianus)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Moccasinshell, Gulf (Medionidus penicillatus)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Moccasinshell, Ochlockonee (Medionidus simpsonianus)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Pearlymussel, Littlewing (Pegias fabula)Leroy Koch, kentuckyes@fws.gov ; 502-695-0468Pigtoe, Oval (Pleurobema pyriforme)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Pocketbook, Shinyrayed (Lampsilis subangulata)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Slabshell, Chipola (Elliptio chipolaensis)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552Spinymussel, Altamaha (Elliptio spinosa)Anthony Sowers; georgiaes@fws.gov ; 706-613-9493Threeridge, Fat (Amblema neislerii)Maureen Walsh; panamacity@fws.gov ; 850-769-0552SnailsSnail, Stock Island Tree Snail (Orthalicus reses)Roxanna Hinzman; StockIslandtreesnail_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4347InsectsSwallowtail, Schaus (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus)Roxanna Hinzman; Schausswallowtailbutterfly_5-yearreview@fws.gov; 772-469-4345CrustaceansCrayfish, Benton County Cave (Cambarus aculabrum)Tommy Inebnit; arkansas-es_recovery@fws.gov ; 501-513-4483PLANTSFlowering PlantsBuxus vahlii (Vahl’s boxwood)Omar Monsegur; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Calyptranthes thomasiana (Thomas lidflower)Jaime Yrigoyen; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Cladonia perforata (Florida perforate cladonia)Roxanna Hinzman; Floridaperforatecladonia_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4349Clitoria fragrans (pigeon wings)Roxanna Hinzman; Pigeonwings_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4353Crotalaria avonensis (Avon Park harebells)Roxanna Hinzman; AvonParkharebells_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4350Daphnopsis hellerana (No Common Name)Jennifer Valentin; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Dicerandra immaculata (Lakela’s mint)Roxanna Hinzman; Lakelasmint_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4350Gesneria pauciflora (No Common Name)Omar Monsegur; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Goetzea elegans (Beautiful goetzea)Martiza Vargas; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Helianthus schweinitzii ( Schweinitz’s sunflower)Rebekkah Reid; fw4esasheville@fws.gov; 828-258-3939Hudsonia montana (Mountain golden heather)Rebekkah Reid; fw4esasheville@fws.gov; 828-258-3939Ilex cookii (Cook’s holly)Angel Colon; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Jacquemontia reclinata (Beach jacquemontia)Roxanna Hinzman; Beach_jacquemontia_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4348Juglans jamaicensis (West Indian walnut (nogal))Angel Colon; Caribbean_es@fws.gov ; 787-851-7297Paronychia chartacea (Papery whitlow-wort)Roxanna Hinzman; Paperywhitlow-wort_5-yearreview@fws.gov ; 772-469-4352Rhododendron chapmanii (Chapman’s rhododendron)Vivian Negron-Ortiz; panamacity@fws.gov; 850-769-0552Sisyrinchium dichotomum (White irisette)Rebekkah Reid; fw4esasheville@fws.gov; 828-258-3939Solidago spithamaea (Blue Ridge goldenrod)Rebekkah Reid; fw4esasheville@fws.gov; 828-258-3939ConifersTorreya taxifolia (Florida torreya)Vivian Negron-Ortiz; panamacity@fws.gov; 850-769-0552