User:Moabdave/sandbox
| U.S. Route 91 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Federalus nonagesimus-primus | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Transportiae |
| Phylum: | Via |
| Class: | Strata |
| Order: | Americana |
| Family: | Rutae |
| Genus: | Federalus |
| Species: | R. federalus |
| Binomial name | |
| Federalus nonagesimus-primus (AASHO, 1926) | |
U.S. Route 91 (Federalus nonagesimus-primus) is a critically endangered species of the United States Highway genus. Now largely confined to the colder climate of Utah and Idaho's Cache Valley, previously the road's foraging range extended to the Mojave Desert. In the 1970s, the Interstate Highway virus (introduced into the United States in 1956, but not reaching the Intermountain West until years later) invaded US-91's native habitat, resulting in a 90% loss of miles. Approximately 150 miles (240 km) of US-91 are believed to still be alive in the wild. The mass die-off of the 70's resulted in US-91 being isolated from several species that had previously had symbiotic relationships with US-91, including the Lincoln Highway (Via honestus) at 21st South St. in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Boulevard (Argentus luminaria) in Las Vegas.
If US-91 becomes extinct, it will be the 3rd major member of the genus to be extinct after, U.S. Route 66 (F. matre) and U.S. Route 99 (F. matre-invertus), both of which, along with US-91, saw numbers decline as large tracts of their former range were lost to urban sprawl in Southern California. Despite US-91 itself being near extinction, it has two thriving sub-species. U.S. Route 191 (F. centesimus-nonagesimus-primus) was modest in numbers, until an accidental introduction in Arizona in 1981, resulting in a feral mileage explosion. In 2003, a second sub-species was discovered, U.S. Route 491 (F. diabolus), amid rumors that US-91 had made a deal with the devil to avoid extinction. Some common DNA has been found with two currently unrelated species, U.S. Route 163 (F. numerus-stultorum) and California State Route 91 (Californicus nonagesimus-primus), with rumors among scientists that they may be someday be reclassified as subspecies of US-91.