The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it has completed a status review of the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion and concluded it does not warrant protectionunder the Endangered Species Act.
The species is known from a single female specimen collected in 1978 from Grand Canyon National Park’s Cave of the Domes. Despite searches in Cave of the Domes and other caves in the park, no other Grand Canyon pseudoscorpion specimens have been found.
The Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion was one of the 475 species included on a petition seeking Endangered Species Act protection thatwas submitted to the Service in 2007 by representatives of Forest Guardians (now WildEarth Guardians).
Petitioners cited several reasons why the pseudoscorpion should be listed, including groundwater pollution and recreational impacts resulting from unregulated visitation to Cave of the Domes.
Based on a thorough review of all information and data and, consultation with recognized invertebrate experts and the Grand Canyon National Park biologist and hydrologist, the Service concluded that the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion does not meet the definition of a threatened or endangered.
Pseudoscorpions are tiny arachnids bearing large claws, but lacking the stinger that true scorpions possess. The tenth-inch Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion is thought to be a troglophile – a species that can spend its entire life within caves but does not exhibit adaptations for living in caves. There is no specific information about the habitat and biology of the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion because the species is known from only one specimen.
Pseudoscorpions typically require wetted and moist habitats and can be dispersed by hitchhiking on flying insects. Cave of the Domes is considered a dry cave. This raises questions as to the origin of the single collected specimen of the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion.
The Service requests that any new information concerning the distribution and status of, or threats to, the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion be submitted. New information and specimens will help in understanding the natural history and distribution of the species, monitoring the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion and encouraging its conservation. If an emergency situation develops for the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion, the Service will consider providing immediate protection.
The Endangered Species Act provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. This landmark conservation law has prevented the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species across the nation and promoted the recovery of many others.
A copy of the 12-month finding and other information about the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion is available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/.
