Biological Status Review

The FWC adopted a management system in September 2010 to conserve threatened species. In addition to significant conservation provisions, the system includes measurable criteria that are used to determine those species that should be on Florida's list, which are species facing a high risk of extinction. Biological review groups appointed by the Commission evaluated 61 species (listed below) grandfathered on the FWC's imperiled species lists in fall 2010. Groups of FWC staff and external experts completed a biological status review (BSR) for each of these species.

The groups specifically reviewed:

• population size and trends;
• distribution and range;
• threats to the species;
• published population viability models; and
• specific aspects of the species' life history that may influence the range-wide and Florida-specific status of the species.

The biological status reports were completed in December 2010 and sent out for peer review.

Based on the status reviews and other information, staff recommended that 40 of the species be included on Florida's Threatened list in addition to the three species (gopher tortoise, Miami blue butterfly and Panama City crayfish) that were reviewed in the past decade. Staff recommended that 16 species be removed from the existing list. Three of these are currently classified as threatened species, and 13 are classified as species of special concern. Based on the FWC's listing criteria, evidence indicated that species recommended for removal from the list are not facing a high risk of extinction.

The final reports with staff recommendations were presented to the Commission at the June meeting in St. Augustine. The Commission voted to agree with staff's recommendations and directed staff to continue working on management plans.  The changes to a species' listing status will not be made until management plans are presented and approved by the Commission, which may take a few years for some of the species.

Note: There are provisions in FWC rules to ensure that species that are delisted in Florida thrive and that their status does not decline to the point where they need to be re-listed. Before the species can be removed from FWC's threatened or species of special concern lists, staff must develop a management plan, with input from stakeholders and the public, and the Commission must approve the plan.

Fish

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) Atlantic sturgeon BSR | Atlantic Sturgeon Supplemental Information
Blackmouth shiner (Notropis melanostomus) Blackmouth Shiner BSR | Blackmouth Shiner Supplemental Information
Bluenose shiner (Pteronotropis welaka) Bluenose Shiner BSR | Bluenose Shiner Supplemental Information
Crystal darter (Crystallaria asprella) Crystal darter BSR | Crystal Darter Supplemental Information
Key silverside (Menidia conchorum) Key Silverside BSR | Key Silverside Supplemental Information
Harlequin darter (Etheostoma histrio) Harlequin darter BSR | Harlequin Darter Supplemental Information
Lake Eustis pupfish (Cyprinodon hubbsi) Lake Eustis pupfish BSR | Lake Eustis Pupfish Supplemental Information
Rivulus (Rivulus marmoratus) Mangrove rivulus BSR | Mangrove Rivulus Supplemental Information
Saltmarsh topminnow (Fundulus jenkinsi) Saltmarsh topminnow BSR | Saltmarsh Topminnow Supplemental Information
Southern tessellated darter (Etheostoma olmstedi maculaticeps) Southern tessellated darter BSR | Southern Tessellated Darter Supplemental Information

Amphibians

Florida bog frog (Lithobates okaloosae) Florida bog frog BSR | Florida Bog Frog Supplemental Information
Georgia blind salamander (Haideotriton wallacei) Georgia blind salamander BSR | Georgia Blind Salamander Supplemental Information
Gopher frog (Lithobates capito) Gopher Frog BSR | Gopher Frog Supplemental Information
Pine Barrens treefrog (Hyla andersonii) Pine Barrens Tree Frog BSR | Pine Barrens Tree Frog Supplemental Information

Reptiles

Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) Alligator Snapping Turtle BSR | Alligator Snapping Turtle Supplemental Information
Barbour's map turtle (Graptemys barbouri) Barbour's map turtle BSR | Barbours Map Turtle Turtle Supplemental Information
Florida brown snake (Storeria victa)-lower Keys population only Florida Brown Snake BSR | Florida Brown Snake Supplemental Information
Florida Keys mole skink (Eumeces egregius egregius) Florida Keys Mole Skink | Florida Keys Mole Skink Supplemental Information
Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus) Florida Pine Snake BSR | Florida Pine Snake Supplemental Information
Key ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus acricus) Key Ringneck Snake BSR | Key Ringneck Snake Supplemental Information
Peninsula ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus sackenii)-lower Keys population only Peninsula Ribbon Snake BSR | Peninsula Ribbon Snake Supplemental Information
Red rat snake (Elaphe guttata)-lower Keys population only Red Rat Snake BSR | Red Rat Snake Supplemental Information
Rim rock crowned snake (Tantilla oolitica) Rim Rock Crowned Snake BSR | Rim Rock Crowned Snake Supplemental Information
Short-tailed snake (Stilosoma extenuatum) Short-tailed Snake BSR | Short-tailed Snake Supplemental Information
Striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii)-lower Keys population only Striped mud turtle BSR | Striped Mud Turtle Supplemental Information
Suwannee cooter (Pseudemys suwanniensis) Suwannee Cooter BSR | Suwannee Cooter Supplemental Information

Birds

American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) American oystercatcher BSR | American Oystercatcher Supplemental Information
Black skimmer (Rynchops niger) Black Skimmer BSR | Black Skimmer Supplemental Information
Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Brown Pelican BSR | Brown Pelican Supplemental Information
Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) Burrowing Owl BSR | Burrowing Owl Supplemental Information
Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis) Florida Sandhill Crane BSR | Florida Sandhill Crane Supplemental Information
Least tern (Sterna antillarum) Least Tern BSR | Least Tern Supplemental Information
Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) Limpkin BSR | Limpkin Supplemental Information
Little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) Little blue heron BSR | Little Blue Heron Supplemental Information
Marian's marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris marianae) Marian's marsh wren BSR | Marian's Marsh Wren Supplemental Information
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)-Monroe County population only Osprey BSR | Osprey Supplemental Information
Reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) Reddish egret BSR | Reddish Egret Supplemental Information
Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) Roseate Spoonbill BSR | Roseate Spoonbill Supplemental Information
Scott's seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus peninsulae) Scott's Seaside Sparrow BSR | Scott's Seaside Sparrow Supplemental Information
Snowy egret (Egretta thula) Snowy egret BSR | Snowy Egret Supplemental Information
Snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) Snowy Plover BSR | Snowy Plover Supplemental Information
Southeastern American kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus) Southeastern American Kestrel BSR | Southeastern American Kestrel Supplemental Information
Tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor) Tricolored heron BSR | Tricolored heron Supplemental Information
Wakulla seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus juncicola) Wakulla seaside sparrow BSR | Wakulla Seaside Sparrow Supplemental Information
White-crowned pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) White-crowned pigeon BSR | White-crowned pigeon Supplemental Information
White ibis (Eudocimus albus) White Ibis BSR | White Ibis Supplemental Information
Worthington's marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris griseus) Worthington's Marsh Wren BSR | Worthington's Marsh Wren Supplemental Information

Mammals

Big Cypress fox squirrel (Sciurus niger avicennia) Big Cypress Fox Squirrel BSR | Big Cypress Fox Squirrel Supplemental Information
Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) Eastern chipmunk BSR | Eastern Chipmunk Supplemental Information
Everglades mink (Neovison vison evergladensis) Everglades mink BSR | Everglades Mink Supplemental Information
Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) Florida black bear BSR | Black Bear Supplemental Information
Florida bonneted bat (Eumops glaucinus floridanus) Florida bonneted bat BSR | Florida Bonneted Bat Supplemental Information
Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus) Florida mouse BSR | Florida Mouse Supplemental Information
Homosassa shrew (Sorex longirostris eonis) Homosassa shrew BSR | Homosassa Shrew Supplemental Information
Sanibel Island rice rat (Oryzomys palustris sanibeli) Sanibel Island rice rat BSR | Sanibel Island Rice Rat Supplemental Information
Sherman's fox squirrel (Sciurus niger shermani) Sherman's fox squirrel BSR | Sherman's Fox Squirrel Supplemental Information
Sherman's short-tailed shrew (Blarina carolinensis shermani) Sherman's short-tailed shrew BSR | Sherman's Short-tailed Shrew Supplemental Information

Corals

Pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindricus) Pillar Coral BSR | Pillar Coral Supplemental Information

Mollusks

Florida treesnail (Liguus fasciatus) Florida tree snail BSR | Florida Tree Snail Supplemental Information

Crustaceans

Black Creek crayfish, also known as Spotted royal crayfish (Procambarus pictus) Black Creek crayfish BSR | Black Creek Crayfish Supplemental Information
Santa Fe Cave crayfish (Procambarus erythrops) Santa Fe Cave crayfish BSR | Santa Fe Cave Crayfish Supplemental Information