By Rick LoBello, Board Member
Now that the Castner Range has been designated a National Monument it is important for our community to understand the fascinating biodiversity of the Franklin Mountains. The Castner Range National Monument section of the Franklin Mountains is connected to the lands that surround it including private and public lands like Franklin Mountains National Park and the Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks National Monument to the north. Most of the higher elevation area of Franklin Mountains is now protected, but many lower elevation habitats important to the ecological health of the mountain range are not. If development of lower elevations continues at the rapid pace seen in recent years, no matter how well we protect the Castner and Franklin Mountains State Park, many species will be impacted if they cannot connect with wildlife corridors and habitat in general below.
As we reported on this blog earlier the PSB is willing to sell the lands they control in support of land conservation in lower elevations, but it will take funds that are unknown at this time. Of note, with the exception of Frontera Land Alliance, there is no one group in El Paso focused on accomplishing this goal.
Franklin Mountains State Park Superintendent Dr. Cesar Mendez by Rick LoBello
For many years now I have been in contact with Franklin Mountains State Park staff asking questions about what is known about the biodiversity of the park. I believe that it is safe to assume that the vast majority of the species known to the State Park also occur in the Castner Range. In summarizing what we know about endangered species in the Franklins, Park Superintendent Dr. Cesar Mendez stated on April 22, 2016 “to the best of my knowledge, there is only one species that is federally listed as endangered as well as listed by the State of Texas that is present in specific locations with the Franklin Mountains” – Sneed’s Pincushion Cactus (Escobaria [Coryphantha] sneedii)”
Dr. Mendez also stated that there were two species listed as threatened by the State of Texas that are also likely to be present at Castner Range including the Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) and the Chihuahuan Desert [Texas] Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon vilkinsoni). Another threatened species that could also be is the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus).
Franklin Mountains State Park currently summarizes what is known about the biodiversity of the Franklin Mountains as follows.
Plants
More than 650 species of vascular plants have been reported for Franklin Mountains State Park. Among the most common and characteristic species are:
Agave Lechuguilla, Ocotillo, Southwestern Barrel Cactus, Sotol, Texas Sacahuista, Pricklypear, Desert Willow, Skeletonleaf Goldeneye Resinbush, Sneed’s Pincushion Cactus (endangered species), Texas Rainbow Cactus, Eagleclaw Cactus. (See complete list in attached excel database, common and characteristic species highlighted in green).
Lichens and Mosses
The park is also home for more than 90 species of lichens and mosses. See excel database attached – Franklin Mountains State Park Flora
Invertebrates
Although we do not have concrete research on the number of species insects and other invertebrates, it is estimated to be in the thousands of species. Some of the most characteristic species include walking stick insects (3 different species), desert tarantula, scorpions, and millipedes, several species of beetles, grasshoppers, and butterflies are also common within the park.
Couch’s spadefoot toad by Andrew DuBois, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Amphibians
There are only two species of Amphibians recorded in Franklin Mountains State Park.
Order Anura – Frogs and Toads
Scaphiopus couchi – Couch’s Spadefoot
Family Bufonidae – Toads
Bufo punctatus – Red-spotted Toad
Reptiles
There are about 33 species of Reptiles confirmed to inhabit Franklin Mountains State Park.
Order Testudines – Turtles
Family Emydidae – Box and Water Turtles
Terrapene ornata – Western Box Turtle
Order Squamata
Suborder Lacertillia – Lizards
Greater earless lizard by Phil and Fred, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Family Iguanidae – Iguanids
Cophosaurus texanus – Greater Earless Lizard
Crotaphytus collaris – Collared Lizard
Holbrookia maculata – Lesser Earless Lizard
Phrynosoma cornutum – Texas Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma modestum – Round-tailed Horned Lizard
Sceloporus undulates – Eastern Fence Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus – Tree Lizard
Uta stansburiana – Side-blotched Lizard
Family Scincidae – Skinks
Eumeces obsoletus – Great Plains Skink
Family Teiidae – Whiptails
Cnemidophorus exsanguis – Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail
Cnemidophorus inornatus– Trans-Pecos Striped Whiptail
Cnemidophorus neomexicanus – New Mexico Whiptail
Cnemidophorus tesselatus – Checkered Whiptail
Cnemidophorus tigris – Western Whiptail
Cnemidophorus uniparens – Desert Grassland Whiptail
Suborder Serpentes – Snakes
Family Leptotyphlopidae – Blind Snakes
Leptotyphlops humilis – Trans-Pecos Blind Snake
Family Colubridae – Colubrids
Bogertophis subocularis – Trans-Pecos Rat-snake
Diadophis punctatus – Ring-necked Snake
Gyalopion canum – Western Hooknosed Snake
Hypsiglena torquata – Texas Night Snake
Masticophis flagellum – Western Coachwhip
Masticophis taeniatus – Striped Whiptail
Pituophis catinifer – Sonoran Gopher Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei – Texas Long-nosed Snake
Salvadora deserticola – Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake
Salvadora grahamiae – Texas Patch-nosed Snake
Sonora semiannulata – Ground Snake
Tantilla hobartsmithi – Mexican Blackhead Snake
Trimorphodon vilkinsoni – Texas Lyre Snake
Family Viperidae – Vipers
Crotalus atrox – Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Crotalus lepidus klauberi – Banded Rock Rattlesnake
Crotalus molossus – Blacktail Rattlesnake
Birds
There are at least 100 species of birds recorded by direct sight within the park boundaries. The most common species are:
Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, Gambel’s Quail, Scaled Quail, Greater Roadrunner, Golden Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Western Kingbird, Scott’s Oriole, House Finch, Black-throated Sparrow, Canyon Towhee, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, among others. See complete list below.
Golden Eagle by Imran Shah, Wikimedia Creative Commons
FAMILY CATHARTICAE
Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura
FAMILY ACCIPITRIDAE
SUBFAMILY ACCIPITRINAE
Mississippi Kite – Ictinia mississippiensis
Northern Harrier – Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk – Accipiter striatus
Cooper’s Hawk – A. cooperii
Northern Goshawk – A. gentilis
Harris’ Hawk – Parabuteo unicinctus
Swainson’s Hawk – Buteo swainsoni
Red-tailed Hawk – B. jamaicensis
Ferruginous Hawk – B. regalis
Golden Eagle – Aquila chrysaetos
FAMILY FALCONIDEA
American Kestrel – Falco sparverius
Merlin – F. columbarius
Prairie Falcon – F. mexicanus
Peregrine Falcon – F. peregrinus
FAMILY ODONTOPHORIDAE
Scaled Quail – Callipipla squamata
Gambel’s Quail – C. gambelii
“Scramble” – Scaled – Gambel’s Quail Hybrid
FAMILY COLUMBIDAE
Rock Dove – Columba livia (I)
Band-tailed Pigeon – C. fasciatta
White-winged Dove – Zenaida asiatica
Mourning Dove – Z. macroura
Eurasian Collared Dove – Streptopelia decaocto (I)
SUBFAMILY NEOMORPHINAE
Greater Roadrunner – Geococcyx californianus
FAMILY TYTONIDAE
Barn Owl – Tyto alba
FAMILY STRIGIDAE
Flammulated Owl – Otus flammeolus
Great Horned Owl – Bubo virginianus
Burrowing Owl – Speotyto cunicularia
Long-eared Owl – Asio otus
Short-eared Owl – A. flammeus
Northern Saw-whet Owl – Aegolius acadicus
FAMILY CAPRIMULGIDAE
SUBFAMILY CHORDEILINAE
Lesser Nighthawk – Chordeiles acutipennis
Common Nighthawk – C. minor
SUBFAMILY CAPRIMULGINAE
Common Poorwill – Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Whip-poor-will – Caprimulgus vociferus
FAMILY APODIDAE
SUBFAMILY CYPSELOIDINAE
Black Swift – Cypseloides niger
SUBFAMILY CHAETURINAE
Vaux’s Swift – Chaetura vauxi
SUBFAMILY APODINAE
White-throated Swift – Aeronautes saxatalis
FAMILY TROCHILIDAE
Black-chinned Hummingbird – Archilochus alexandri
Costa’s Hummingbird – Calypte costae
Calliope Hummingbird – Stellula calliope
Broad-tailed Hummingbird – Selasphorus platycercus
Rufous Hummingbird – S. rufus
FAMILY PICIDAE
SUBFAMILY PICINAE
Red-naped Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Ladder-backed Woodpecker – Picoides scalaris
Northern Flicker – Colaptes aurantus
FAMILY TYRANNIDAE
SUBFAMILY FLUVICOLINAE
Say’s Phoebe – S. saya
SUBFAMILY TYRANNINAE
Ash-throated Flycatcher – Myiarchus cinerascens
Cassin’s Kingbird – Tyrannus couchii
Western Kingbird – T. vociferans
FAMILY ALAUDIDAE
Horned Lark – Eremophila alpestris
FAMILY HIRUNDINIDAE
SUBFAMILY HIRUNDININAE
Violet-green Swallow – T. thalassina
Cliff Swallow – Hirundo phrrhonota
Barn Swallow – H. rustica
FAMILY CORVIDAE
Western Scrub Jay – Aphelocoma californica
Pinyon Jay – Gymnorhinus cyanocaphalus
Chihuahuan Raven – Corvus cryptoleucus
Common Raven – C. corax
FAMILY REMIZIDAE
Verdin – Auriparus flaviceps
FAMILY TROGLODYTIDAE
Cactus Wren – Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Rock Wren – Salpinctes obsoletus
Canyon Wren – Catherpes mexicanus
Bewick’s Wren – Thryomanes bewickii
House Wren – Troglodytes aedon
FAMILY MUSCICAPIDAE
SUBFAMILY SYLVIINAE
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Regulus calendula
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Polioptila caerulea
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher – P. melanura
SUBFAMILY TURDINAE
Western Bluebird – Sialia. Mexicana
Mountain Bluebird – S. currucoides
Townsend’s Solitaire – Myadestes townsendi
Hermit Thrush – Catharus guttatus
American Robin – Tardus migratorius
FAMILY MIMIDAE
Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos
Sage Thrasher – Oreoscoptes montanus
Curve-billed Thrasher – Toxostoma curvirostre
Crissal Thrasher – T. dorsale
FAMILY BOMBYCILLIDAE
Cedar Waxwing – Bombycilla cedrorum
FAMILY PTILOGONATIDAE
Phainopepla – Phainopepla nitens
FAMILY LANIIDAE
SUBFAMILY LANIINAE
Loggerhead Shrike – Lanius ludovicianus
FAMILY VIREONIDAE
Solitary Vireo – Vireo solitaries
Hutton’s Vireo – V. huttonii
Warbling Vireo – V. gilvus
Philadelphia Vireo – V. philadelphicus
FAMILY EMBERIZIDAE
SUBFAMILY PARULINAE
Yellow Warbler – Dendroica petechial
Yellow-rumped Warbler – D. coronate
Wilson’s Warbler – Wilsonia pusilla
SUBFAMILY THRAUPINAE
Western Tanager – Piranga. lucoviciana
SUBFAMILY CARDINALINAE
Pyrrhuloxia – Cardinalis sinuatus
Black-headed Grosbeak – P. melanocephalus
Blue Grosbeak – Guiraca caerulea
SUBFAMILY EMBERIZINAE
Green-tailed Towhee – Pipilo chlorurus
Spotted Towhee – P. maculatus
Canyon Towhee – P. fuscus
Cassin’s Sparrow – Aimophila. Cassinii
Rufous-crowned Sparrow – A. ruficeps
Chipping Sparrow – Spizella passerine
Clay-colored Sparrow – S. pallida
Brewer’s Sparrow – S. breweri
Field Sparrow – S. pusilla
Black-chinned Sparrow – S. atrogularis
Vesper Sparrow – Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow – Chondestes grammacus
Black-throated Sparrow – Amphispiza bilineata
Sage Sparrow – A. belli
Lark Bunting – Calamospiza melanocorys
Savannah Sparrow – Passerculus sandwichensis
Song Sparrow – Melospiza melodia
Lincoln’s Sparrow – M. lincolnii
White-crowned Sparrow – Zonotrichia leucophrys
Dark-eyed Junco – Junco hyemalis
SUBFAMILY ICTERINAE
Brewer’s Blackbird – Euphagus cyanocephalus
Brown-headed Cowbird – Molothrus ater
Bullock’s Oriole – Icterus bullockii
Scott’s Oriole – I. parisorum
FAMILY FRINGILLIDAE
SUBFAMILY CARDUELINAE
House Finch – Carpodacus mexicanus
Pine Siskin – Carduelis pinus
Lesser Goldfinch – C. psaltria
American Goldfinch – C. tristis
FAMILY PASSERIDAE
House Sparrow – Passer domesticus (I)
Mammals
There are about 30 species of mammals within Franklin Mountains State Park.
Order Insectivora – Insectivores
Order Chiroptera – Bats
Family Vespertilionidae – Vespertilionid Bats
Lasiurus cinereus – Hoary Bat
Myotis californicus – California Myotis
Pipistrellus herperus – Wetern Pipistrelle
Plecotus townsendii – Townsend’s Big-eared Bat
Family Molossidae – Free-tailed Bats
Tadarida brasiliensis – Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
Order Lagomorpha – Hares and Rabbits
Family Leporidae – Hares and Rabbits
Lepus californicus – Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Sylvilagus auduboni – Desert Cottontail
Order Rodentia – Rodents
Family Sciuridae – Squirrels and Allies
Ammospermophilus interpres – Texas Antelope Squirrel
Spermophilus spilosoma – Spotted Ground Squirrel
Spermophilus variegatus – Rock Squirrel
Family Geomyidae – Pocket Gophers
Thomomys bottae – Botta’s Pocket Gopher
Family Heteromyidae – Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Rats
Chaetodipus intermedius – Rock Pocket Mouse
Chaetodipus nelsoni – Nelson Pocket Mouse
Dipodomys ordii – Ord’s Kangaroo Rat
Family Muridae – Mice and Rats
Mus musculus – House Mouse (introduced)*
Neotoma albigula – White-throated Woodrat
Peromyscus eremicus – Cactus Mouse
Peromyscus maniculatus – Deer Mouse
Mexican wolf by Rick LoBello, Board Member
Order Carnivora – Carnivores
Family Canidae – Canids
Canis latrans – Coyote
Urocyon cinereoargenteus – Common Gray Fox
Canis lupus baileyi – Mexican wolf (documented report near the Franklin Mountains in Mexico and New Mexico, January 21-24, 2017
Family Procyonidae – Procyonids
Bassariscus astutus – Ringtail
Family Mustelidae – Mustelids
Mephitis mephitis – Striped Skunk
Mustela frenata – Long-tailed Weasel
Spilogale gracilis – Western Spotted Skunk
Taxidea taxus – American Badger
Family Felidae – Cats
Felis concolor – Mountain Lion
Felis rufus – Bobcat
Order Artiodactyla – Even-Toed Ungulates
Family Tayassuidae – Peccaries
Tayassu tajacu – Javalina, Collared Peccary
Family Cervidae – Cervids
Odocoileus hemionus – Mule Deerv
Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition 