Species That Live Here

Del Puerto Canyon supports a many different types of species from mammals to fungi and rare plants. These species rely on the habitat provided by the canyon streams.

View Citizen Observations in the Canyon

Damselflies:

These are damselflies (Odonata, suborder Zygoptera) we noticed while sampling for this project. Damselflies and Dragonflies start their lives underwater as benthic invertebrates. They will live underwater surviving on other invertebrates as prey for as little as a few months to as long as five years depending on the species.

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)

The bright red one is the male while the more brown colored one is the female.

This is an example of damselfly nymph that live under water.

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) The male is the bright blue one while the female is the brown one.

Dragonflies are also very numerous in the canyon. Pictured here is a Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes). Other species observered in the canyon are Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), Giant Darners (Anax walsinghami), Grappletails (Octogomphus specularis), and many many more.

Scientific name: Hesperoleucus symmetricus

Common name: California roach

California Roach is common in many of the streams and is a cyprinid fish native to western parts of North America and abundant in the intermittent streams (water flow for brief periods in response to rainfall) throughout central California.

(left) California mantis (Stagmomantis californica; Mantodea) a common predatory insect which is native to del puerto canyon and routinely feeds upon the adult forms of stream invertebrates such as caddisflies and mayflies.

Invasive Species:

Invasive species like the American bull frog (Lithobates catesbeianus; pictured left) would benefit from a reservoir/dam change in habitat since they are opportunistic unlike the highly specialized native flora and fauna of the canyon.

Benthic Invertebrates:

The benthic invertebrates are the basis of the intricate food webs in the Del Puerto canyon stream system. These invertebrates serve as measures for water quality and for identifying a healthy stream ecosystem. The Del puerto canyon system is very rich in benthic invertebrate biodiversity.

(Left) Pteronarcyid Stone fly larvae an unusual find for this type of stream as they prefer alpine environments. (Right) a river stone with algae and two Psephenid beetle larvaes (water penny beetles) a very common grazing species.

Rare Plants:

There are 16 rare plants that would be affected by the creation of Del Puerto Reservoir/Dam.

11 annual plants and 5 perennial plants would be inundated by the dam.

Sharsmith's onion (Allium sharsmithiae)

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.3

Photo By: 2011 Aaron Schusteff

Mt. Hamilton thistle (Cirsium fontinale var. campylon) California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2

Photo By: 2004 David A. Tharp and Benjamin C. Hammett 2002 California Academy of Sciences

Talus fritillary (Fritillaria falcata)

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2

Photo By: 1998 John Game

Jepson's woolly sunflower, (Jepson eriophyllum)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.3

Photo By: J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan1999 California Academy of Sciences

Santa clara thorn mint, (Acanthomintha lanceolata)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2

Photo By: 2007 Neal Kramer

Michael's rein orchid, (Piperia michaelii)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2

Photo By: 2005 Doreen L. Smith

Red-flowered bird's-foot trefoil,(Acmispon rubriflorus)

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1

Photo By: James T. Vale and CNPS

California androsace, (Androsace elongata ssp. acuta)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2

Photo By: 2008 Aaron Schusteff

Chaparral harebell, (Campanula exigua)

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2

Photo By: 2016 Barry Breckling

Sharsmith's harebell, (Campanula sharsmithiae)

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2

Photo By: 2011 Aaron Schusteff

Brewer's clarkia, (Clarkia breweri)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2

Photo By: 2010 Neal Kramer

Lemmon's wild cabbage, (Caulanthus lemmonii)

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2

Photo By: 2011 Dylan Neubauer & 2014 Chris Winchell

Leafy stemmed poppy, (Eschscholzia hypecoides)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.3

Photo By: 2004 Keir Morse

Diamond petaled california poppy, ( Eschscholzia rhombipetala

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1

Photo By: 2015 Lesley Hamamoto

Serpentine leptosiphon, (Leptosiphon ambiguus)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2

Photo By: 2009 David A. Tharp

Spring lessingia, (Lessingia tenuis)

California Rare Plant Rank: 4.3

Photo By: 2009 Barry Breckling

Bird Species That Depend on the Canyon:

Many birds either depend on the emerging benthic invertebrates as a prey source, or they depend on the emerging benthic invertebrates to feed their prey source.

Birds have important ecological benefits for our environment.

eBird Observations in the Canyon