BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Euchloe naina
Green Marble
| Scientific Name: | Euchloe naina |
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| English Name: | Green Marble |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S2S3 |
| Date Status Assigned: | March 31, 2013 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | February 01, 2020 |
| Reasons: | Only known from a few locations. We have limited knowledge regarding distribution due to unchecked habitat in this part of the province; threats are low. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | BD = 100-5,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | The species is known only from the extreme northwest of British Columbia, near the Yukon border. The range extent is estimated at less than 100 km square, based on the two occurrences of the butterfly. |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | U = Unknown |
| Linear Distance of Occupancy: | U = Unknown |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | AB = 1 - 20 |
| Comments: | The species is only known from a few records in northwest BC near Atlin (Guppy and Shepard 2001). The most recent record is reported by Kondla (2003) in 1999 from Mt. Racine. |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | There is no current information. Only one female was observed in 1999 at Mt. Racine (Kondla 2003). |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | A = None |
| Population Size: | U = Unknown |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | D = Low |
| Comments: | Low. The habitat for this species is in high elevation boulder fields and scree slopes (Layberry et al. 1998), thus the threats to the species are minimal. 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: | Euchoe naina requires specific larval and adult (nectar) food plants for survival. Larvae are thought to use Draba and Braya humilis (Guppy and Shepard 2001; Layberry et al. 1998). |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | Taxonomy needs to be clarified (Guppy and Shepard 2001). Additional research 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 utility and transportation corridor expansion and maintenance, aggregate quarrying, invasive weeds, adjacent property management and wild fire. Research is also required to assess potential threats from pesticide use and heavy livestock grazing on all life stages. |
| Inventory Needs: | Inventory of butterflies in subalpine and alpine areas in northwestern BC. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | Due to the sparce records for this species in BC, populations should be protected when located on provincial crown lands. |
| Management: | Within BC, these butterflies have been recorded occupying dry gravelly habitat patches (Guppy and Shepard 2001). These areas are often used for gravel extraction. Best management practises guidelines for those excavating sites for gravel extraction would benefit this species, and other species known to inhabit similar habitat types. |
| Version | |
| Author: | Heron, J. and L. Ramsay |
| Date: | February 01, 2020 |
| References | |
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Guppy, C.S., and J.H. Shepard. 2001. Butterflies of British Columbia. UBC Press in collaboration with Royal B.C. Mus. 414pp.
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Kondla, N. 2003. N. Kondla's Lepidoptera observation database.
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Layberry, R. A., P. W. Hall, and J. D. LaFontaine. 1998. The butterflies of Canada. University of Toronto Press. 280pp. + color plates.
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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. 2020. Conservation Status Report: Euchloe naina. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 5, 2026).