Sideroxylon socorrense

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Sideroxylon socorrense
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Ericales Family: Sapotaceae Genus: Sideroxylon Species: S. socorrense
Binomial name
Sideroxylon socorrense (Brandegee) T.D.Penn.
Synonyms
Bumelia socorrensis

Sideroxylon socorrense is a plant species in the family Sapotaceae. It is endemic to Mexico, occurring only on Socorro in^[1] the Revillagigedo Islands^[2].

On its island home, this small tree grows in habitat that is at least seasonally humid. This restricts it mainly to a belt of woodland between 650 and 900 m above mean sea level, except on the northern side where wetter conditions predominate^[3]. It is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to the adverse effects of introduced sheep grazing and the twice-yearly swarming of the locust Schistocerca piceifrons, a non-native pest that has become established on Socorro more recently.

The fruits of this plant are among the favorite foods of the nearly-extinct Socorro Mockingbird (Mimus graysoni)^[4] and the Socorro Dove (Zenaida graysoni) which presently only survives in captivity^[5]. Similar as in other Sideroxylon, these birds might be crucial for the present species' reproduction.

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• BirdLife International (BLI) (2007a). Mimus graysoni. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2007. Retrieved on 23 November 2007.
• BirdLife International (BLI) (2007b): Socorro Dove - BirdLife Species Factsheet. Retrieved 2007-NOV-24.
• Brattstrom, Bayard H. & Howell, Thomas R. (1956): The Birds of the Revilla Gigedo Islands, Mexico. Condor 58(2): 107-120. doi:10.2307/1364977 PDF fulltext DjVu fulltext
• California/Mexico Island Conservation Database (CMICD) (2007): Plant accounts: Socorro. Retrieved 2007-NOV-13.
• World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) (1998). Sideroxylon socorrense. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2007. Retrieved on 23 August 2007.