Alternative Text Description for Sandlace (Endangered) Species Range Map

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the designated range boundary for the endangered Sandlace species in Florida as recognized by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The map shows a specific geographic area in central Florida where this endangered species is documented or expected to occur. The primary purpose is to identify the spatial extent of habitat or occurrence for this protected species for conservation planning and regulatory purposes.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States, with primary focus on the state of Florida and portions of neighboring states including Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Major cities visible on the map include Jacksonville and Wilmington along the Atlantic coast in the north, Charleston along the South Carolina coast, Savannah in Georgia, Columbia in South Carolina, and Greenville further inland. In Georgia, cities such as Athens, Augusta, Macon, Warner Robins, Albany, and Valdosta are labeled. Florida cities shown include Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Palm Bay, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, Freeport, and Palm Coast. The Atlantic Ocean is visible along the entire eastern edge of the map, and the Gulf of America appears along Florida's western coast.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Sandlace endangered species range is concentrated exclusively in central Florida, forming a distinct inland zone. The designated habitat area encompasses the greater Orlando metropolitan region and extends southward toward Lakeland and westward toward the Tampa Bay area. This range represents a relatively compact, localized distribution in the central portion of the Florida peninsula, well inland from both the Atlantic and Gulf of America coasts. The species range does not extend to coastal areas, northern Florida, southern Florida, or any neighboring states, indicating a geographically restricted endemic or highly specialized habitat requirement.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Sandlace (Endangered) Range

This layer represents the official species range boundary for the endangered Sandlace as mapped by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Sandlace Range Boundary (pink crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The species range is depicted as a pink or magenta area with a diagonal crosshatch pattern overlay, creating a distinctive textured appearance that stands out against the light gray base map.

Distribution:

The range is located in central Florida, centered approximately on the Orlando metropolitan area and extending in an irregular polygon shape that covers portions of the region between Orlando, Lakeland, and areas to the south and west.

Notable locations:

The range includes or is adjacent to the cities of Orlando, Lakeland, and portions of the area between Tampa-St. Petersburg and Orlando. The boundary extends across multiple counties in Florida's central peninsula.

Spatial patterns:

The range forms a single, contiguous polygon with irregular boundaries. The shape suggests the range follows natural habitat features or ecological zones rather than administrative boundaries. The distribution is notably inland, avoiding coastal regions entirely, and appears concentrated in the central highlands of the Florida peninsula.

Overlapping Patterns

The Sandlace range appears as a standalone feature without visible overlap with other thematic data layers in this map view.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a single endangered species distribution extracted from a larger dataset of species managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for Florida. The boundary shown reflects the official understanding of where this species occurs or historically occurred based on available biological data. Users should note that the presence of a range boundary does not necessarily mean the species occurs uniformly throughout the entire area, but rather indicates the broader geographic zone where suitable habitat exists or the species has been documented. Base map features including state boundaries, cities, and geographic landmarks are shown for spatial reference but are not the primary focus of this thematic map.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data originates from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and represents the agency's official polygonal boundaries for species ranges within the State of Florida as of July 2025. The data reflects the Service's scientific understanding of species distributions for conservation and regulatory purposes.

Data source layer name: CR_USFWS_POLY_JUL25

Definition Query:

This map displays only records where the common name equals 'SANDLACE', filtering the broader dataset to show this single endangered species from the complete United States Fish and Wildlife Service species inventory for Florida.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a regional scale appropriate for showing the entire southeastern United States with focus on Florida, allowing viewers to understand the Sandlace range in relation to major cities and geographic features across multiple states.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The dataset reflects species range information current as of July 2025.

Limitations:

Species range boundaries represent generalized areas where species may occur based on available data and may not reflect actual occupancy at all locations within the boundary. The data represents the agency's best available science at the time of publication but may be updated as new biological information becomes available. Precise habitat boundaries and population densities are not conveyed at this map scale.

Map Coverage:

The map extends from northern Florida through Georgia and South Carolina to southern North Carolina in the north, and southward through the Florida peninsula. The western extent includes portions of southern Georgia and the Gulf of America coastline of Florida, while the eastern extent includes the Atlantic Ocean coastline. The species range itself is limited to central Florida, but the broader map context is provided for geographic orientation.

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