BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Erebia magdalena
Magdalena Alpine
| Scientific Name: | Erebia magdalena |
|---|---|
| English Name: | Magdalena Alpine |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S2S3 |
| Date Status Assigned: | January 28, 2020 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | January 28, 2020 |
| Reasons: | Only two records, but much unchecked habitat. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | EF = 5,000-200,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | Two locations are known for the Magdalena Alpine: near McBride in east-central BC, close to the AB border; and Summit Lake at Stoney Mountain Provincial Park (Kondla 2003). The species is likely in similar unchecked habitat. Given that there is only two recorded occurrences, both separated by hundreds of kilometres, the range extent is estimated at less than 200,000 km square. |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | U = Unknown |
| Linear Distance of Occupancy: | U = Unknown |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | AB = 1 - 20 |
| Comments: | Known from two locations: near McBride in east-central BC, found in 1984 (Guppy and Shepard 2001) and the other at Summit Lake from 1992 (Kondla 2003) in Stoney Mountain Provincial Park in northeastern BC. |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | U = Unknown |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | A = None |
| Comments: | There is one protected occurrence, in Stone Mountain Provincial Park (Layberry et al. 1998). |
| Population Size: | U = Unknown |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | CD = Medium - low |
| Comments: | There is always the potential of mining and resource extraction. Blasting and quarrying for rock extraction is a possibility, although likely insignificant given the high availability of habitat. |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Long-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | U=Unknown |
| Environmental Specificity: | B=Narrow. Specialist or community with key requirements common. |
| Comments: | All butterflies depend on specific larval and nectar (adult) host plants to complete their life cycle. The specific foodplants in BC are unknown, but the larvae of the nominate subspecies have eaten Poa pratensis in captivity (Guppy and Shepard 2001). |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | Research is required to more accurately quantify specific habitat requirements including food plant density and patch size; species' dispersal capabilities, reproductive success and population viability; potential impacts of predation, parasitism, climatic variation, small population size, and population isolation is also needed. Research is required to assess the potential threats to habitat from potential mining and aggregate quarrying, invasive weeds, and wild fire. Research into life history is also needed. |
| Inventory Needs: | Inventory subalpine and alpine areas of the rocky mountains at the Alberta border. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | This species is could potentially be present in similar habitats in both Jasper National Park and Banff National Park, although no occurrences have been recorded from these protected areas. |
| Management: | This species should be incorporated into mining and exploration strategies, in applicable subalpine and alpine areas. |
| Version | |
| Author: | Heron, J. |
| Date: | November 09, 2012 |
| References | |
|
Guppy, C.S., and J.H. Shepard. 2001. Butterflies of British Columbia. UBC Press in collaboration with Royal B.C. Mus. 414pp.
|
|
|
Layberry, R. A., P. W. Hall, and J. D. LaFontaine. 1998. The butterflies of Canada. University of Toronto Press. 280pp. + color plates.
|
|
Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2012. Conservation Status Report: Erebia magdalena. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 5, 2026).