Purpose


The purpose and effect of this rule amendment is to revise the Florida Endangered and Threatened Species List to reflect Federal listing changes. Rule 68A-27.0012(1) of the Florida Administrative Code requires that when species native to Florida are added or reclassified under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), the species shall be so listed or reclassified in the Florida Administrative Code to reflect the federal designation. Because of recent federal designations, staff is proposing to add seven species of mollusks (Choctaw bean, round ebonyshell, southern kidneyshell, fuzzy pigtoe, narrow pigtoe, tapered pigtoe and southern sandshell); one mammal (Florida bonneted bat); one bird (rufa red knot); two insects (Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak, Florida leafwing butterflies); four corals (lobed star, bounder star, mountainous star and rough cactus) to paragraph one of 68A-27.003; change the indicated federal listing for one bird (wood stork) from endangered to threatened; and move one species of coral (pillar coral) from subsection two to subsection one. Staff also proposes to move into Rule 68A-27.003(1) and delete from Rule 68A-27.0031 one fish species (smalltoothed sawfish) and two coral species (elkhorn and staghorn) that were mistakenly added to the latter rule when it was created.