Alternative Text Description for Florida Leafwing Butterfly (Endangered)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic distribution of the Florida Leafwing Butterfly, an endangered species, across southern Florida. The map shows polygonal habitat boundaries as documented by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The distribution is concentrated in three distinct clusters within Miami-Dade County and the southern Florida Keys, illustrating the limited and fragmented nature of this endangered species' range.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers southern Florida, extending from Miami-Dade County in the north to Big Pine Key in the south. Major geographic features include the Everglades National Park in the southwestern portion, the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area east of the Everglades, and the Florida Keys island chain extending southwest from the mainland. Named locations visible on the map include The Hammocks, Kendall, Homestead, Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Keys Overseas Highway, Indian Key Historic State Park, Layton, and Duck Key. The Gulf of America lies to the west of the mapped area.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Florida Leafwing Butterfly occupies three geographically isolated habitat areas, demonstrating a highly fragmented distribution pattern. The largest concentration occurs in a substantial area south of Homestead in central Miami-Dade County, near the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area. A second notable cluster appears in the northeastern portion of the map near The Hammocks and Kendall neighborhoods. A third, smaller concentration exists at Big Pine Key in the lower Florida Keys. The spatial pattern reveals that this endangered species is restricted to very specific habitat patches with significant gaps between populations, highlighting its vulnerable status and limited range.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Florida Leafwing Butterfly (Endangered) Habitat

This layer represents the known habitat boundaries for the Florida Leafwing Butterfly as defined by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Florida Leafwing Butterfly Habitat Areas (pink crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The habitat areas are shown as polygons filled with a pink crosshatch or diagonal grid pattern against a light gray base map.

Distribution:

Three distinct habitat clusters are distributed across southern Florida: one in northeastern Miami-Dade County near The Hammocks, one larger area south of Homestead in central Miami-Dade County, and one in the lower Florida Keys at Big Pine Key.

Notable locations:

The most extensive habitat area is located south of Homestead, positioned between the Everglades National Park to the west and the developed coastal areas to the east. The northernmost cluster appears near residential areas of The Hammocks and Kendall. The southernmost habitat is situated at Big Pine Key, approximately 120 miles southwest of Miami.

Spatial patterns:

The habitats are highly fragmented with no apparent connectivity between the three major clusters. The central habitat area near Homestead shows an irregular, somewhat elongated shape. Smaller scattered patches appear near Homestead and within the northeastern cluster. The isolation between populations suggests limited potential for natural dispersal between habitat areas.

Overlapping Patterns

The habitat areas exist within a broader landscape context that includes protected areas such as Everglades National Park, the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area, and Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, though the butterfly habitat boundaries are distinct from these larger conservation areas.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents species boundaries as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The fragmented nature of the habitat distribution reflects the endangered status of the Florida Leafwing Butterfly and highlights the isolated populations across southern Florida. The map shows only the polygonal habitat boundaries for this specific species, filtered from a larger dataset of species distributions. Protected areas shown on the base map provide geographic context but do not necessarily indicate the full extent of butterfly habitat.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service species boundary dataset for the State of Florida, containing polygonal boundaries for species as understood by the agency.

Definition Query:

The map displays only records where the common name equals 'FLORIDA LEAFWING BUTTERFLY' (CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26COMNAME = 'FLORIDA LEAFWING BUTTERFLY'), filtering the dataset to show this single endangered species from the broader species boundary collection.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a regional scale covering approximately 150 miles from north to south, appropriate for showing the full known range of the species across southern Florida and the Keys.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations:

The habitat boundaries represent species distribution as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and may not capture all potential habitat or recent changes in species range. The polygonal boundaries define known habitat areas but do not indicate habitat quality, population density, or occupancy status within the designated areas.

Map Coverage:

The map extends from northern Miami-Dade County southward through the Florida Keys to approximately Big Pine Key, with the Gulf of America visible to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.