Battus philenor hirsuta (California Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly)
Credit: Noah Whiteman
about the species
The California Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly and its host plant the California Pipevine or Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia californica Torr.) are an iconic and California endemic species pair. The two species have likely co-evolved in an antagonistic fashion across the landscape of northern California and as a result, may be particularly prone to a phenomenon known as co-extinction—where the extinction of one species results in the loss of those dependent on it. Their range overlaps with the human-settled landscape comprising urban, suburban and agricultural lands as well as in less populated areas. The ultimate goal is to understand the demographic history of each species, the degree of contemporary and historical genetic diversity across their genomes and the extent to which sub-populations in California are freely interbreeding.
why species was selected
The data generated from this project are likely to inform conservation questions because this system is inherently of conservation concern given its restricted range, local extirpations in large Bay Area cities, and complete dependence of one species on the other.
