[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 235 (Tuesday, December 8, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67618-67619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32546]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding for
a Petition to Delist the Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces a 90-day finding for a
petition to delist the Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp (Palaemonetes
cummingi) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We find
that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial
information indicating that delisting this Florida species due to
extinction may be warranted.
DATES: The finding announced in this document was made on November 25,
1998.
ADDRESSES: Those having questions, comments, or information concerning
this petition may send them to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310, Jacksonville,
Florida 32216. The petition finding, supporting data, and comments are
available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours
at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John F. Milio at the above address
or telephone 904/232-2580, ext. 112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that we make a finding on
whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species presents
substantial scientific or commercial information demonstrating that the
petitioned action may be warranted. To the maximum extent practicable,
we will make the finding within 90 days of receipt of the petition, and
promptly publish the finding in the Federal Register. Following a
positive finding, we must promptly commence a status review of the
species.
The processing of this petition conforms with our current listing
priority guidance for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, published in the
Federal Register on May 8, 1998 (63 FR 25502). The guidance gives
highest priority (Tier 1) to processing emergency rules to add species
to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (Lists);
second priority (Tier 2) to processing final determinations on
proposals to add species to the Lists, processing new proposals to add
species to the Lists, processing administrative findings on petitions
(to add species to the Lists, delist species, or reclassify listed
species), and processing a limited number of proposed or final rules to
delist or reclassify species; and third priority (Tier 3) to processing
proposed or final rules designating critical habitat. Processing of
this petition is a Tier 2 action.
The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC) submitted
the petition, dated August 5, 1997, which we received on August 8,
1997. We have made a 90-day finding on this petition to delist the
Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp, Palaemonetes cummingi.
[[Page 67619]]
Palaemonetes cummingi is a very rare species, with no more than a
dozen collections (Chace 1954, Dobkin 1971, Franz 1994b) recorded
between its discovery in 1953 (Chace 1954) and last observation in 1973
(Franz 1994b). All collections and observations occurred at Squirrel
Chimney Cave (Franz 1994a). Squirrel Chimney Cave is a partially water-
filled, solution cavity located on private land near Gainesville,
Alachua County, Florida (Franz 1994a). Surveys to confirm the species
continued existence at Squirrel Chimney Cave (Morris and Butt 1992,
Franz 1994b) and to locate specimens at other nearby underground sites
(Franz et al. 1994) were unsuccessful. We listed P. cummingi as a
threatened species on June 21, 1990 (55 FR 25588).
The petition contends that the failure to locate the species during
a two-year (1994-1996) status survey, supports its removal from the
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The status survey included
Squirrel Chimney and four additional underground aquatic sites (Doonan
1997). Except for a 2.5 meter (8 foot) drop in water level, physical
conditions at Squirrel Chimney remained relatively unchanged since
Hobbs (1942) discovered the site in the early 1940's. Chemical analysis
of water samples revealed good overall water quality. The survey
confirmed the continued presence of redeye chub (Notropis harperi) in
Squirrel Chimney Cave. Morris and Butt (1992) first documented this
small, predatory fish within that locality. Its presence may be the
result of a natural colonization through underwater passageways linked
to other underground sites. Since the chub is capable in lab situations
of eating other crustacea the size of Palaemonetes cummingi larvae (L.
Straub, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, pers.
comm., 1997, in Doonan 1997), the survey report suggested that this
fish may be responsible for the apparent absence of the shrimp from
Squirrel Chimney Cave. Based on survey results and analyses, the GFC
report indicated that P. cummingi may be extinct. The GFC acknowledges
that this assessment is not conclusive, because it only surveyed a
small percentage of potential habitat and it omitted two high priority
sites from its survey.
We have reviewed the petition, its supporting information,
information in our files, other available literature, and consulted
with species and habitat experts. Using the best scientific and
commercial information available, we find that the petition does not
present substantial information indicating that delisting this species
due to extinction may be warranted.
We base our finding on the inadequacy of existing information on
the Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp and its habitat. The GFC status survey
does not include a number of underground sites the GFC rated as
ecologically similar to and within about 8 kilometers (5 miles) of
Squirrel Chimney. These sites are part of the Newberry Limestone Plain
and characteristic of the karst (limestone) topography of that area
(Williams et al. 1977). Connections among underground features occur
frequently in karst topography (Doonan 1997). The emergence of redeye
chub in Squirrel Chimney and its presence at other nearby underground
sites suggest that fissures found at Squirrel Chimney actually may
represent underwater connections to those other sites (Doonan 1997).
Such passageways may shelter Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp and also
provide for their dispersal. In addition, the extreme rarity of P.
cummingi and lack of life history information suggest that its
detection requires extensive sampling (N. Burkhead, U.S. Geological
Survey, in litt. 1997). We believe the number of visual and trap
samples taken during the GFC survey at sites other than Squirrel
Chimney were too small to provide an accurate assessment of the
species' status at those sites.
We continue to seek new information on the Squirrel Chimney cave
shrimp's biology, ecology, distribution, and habitat, as well as
threats to its survival. Such information will enable us to work with
the GFC to correctly assess the species' status and make the best
recommendations and decisions regarding its conservation, recovery, and
possible reclassification. We encourage interested parties to send any
comments, data, or other information involving P. cummingi and its
habitat to our Jacksonville Field Office listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice.
References Cited
Chace, F.A., Jr. 1954. Two new subterranean shrimps (Decapoda:
Caridae) from Florida and the West Indies, with a revised key to the
American species. J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 44(10):318-324.
Dobkin, S. 1971. The larval development of Palaemonetes cummingi
Chace, 1954 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae), reared in the laboratory.
Crustaceana 20(3):285-297.
Doonan, T.J. 1997. Survey of Squirrel Chimney and other selected
caves to determine the status of Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp
(Palaemonetes cummingi). Final Report No. 7754. Florida Game and
Fresh Water Fish Commission, Bureau of Nongame Wildlife, Lake City,
Florida. 42 pp.
Franz, R. 1994a. Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp, Palaemonetes
cummingi. Pp. 181-182 in Deyrup, M. and R. Franz, eds. Rare and
Endangered Biota of Florida. Volume IV. Invertebrates. University
Presses of Florida, Gainesville. 798 pp.
Franz, R. 1994b. Squirrel Chimney cave shrimp survey. Unpublished
report to Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. 4 pp.
Franz, R., J. Bauer, and T. Morris. 1994. Review of biologically
significant caves and their fauna in Florida and South Georgia.
Brimleyana 20:1-109.
Hobbs, H.H., Jr. 1942. Crayfishes of Florida. Univ. FL. Biol. Sci.
Ser. 3(2). University of Florida Press, Gainesville. 179 pp.
Morris, T., and P. Butt. 1992. A survey of the population of the
Florida cave shrimp (Palaemonetes cummingi), other species, and the
condition of the environment within the Squirrel Chimney cave
system, Alachua County, Florida. Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Karst Environmental Services, Inc. (December 15, 1992).
10pp.
Williams, K.E., D. Nicol, and A.F. Randazzo. 1977. The geology of
the western part of Alachua County, Florida. Report of
Investigations No. 85, Florida Bureau of Geology, Tallahassee, FL.
98 pp.
Author: The primary author of this document is John F. Milio,
Jacksonville Field Office (see ADDRESSES section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 25, 1998.
Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-32546 Filed 12-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
