This is a range-restricted endemic species from the Free State Province, South Africa (EOO 77 km<sup>2</sup>). There are two locations. One of the locations faces the threat of future urbanisation. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Vulnerable under criterion D. The 2012 assessment was too lenient. The change in status was made by more rigorous application of the same information used previously and thus the change in status from Least Concern to Vulnerable is not-genuine.
Distribution
Endemic to the Free State Province in South Africa, from near Clarens to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
Decline
Urbanisation and anthropogenic activities at the Clarens site are possible causes of habitat decline in future.
Population counts have revealed fewer than 2 000 adults per season.
Threats
Although the taxon occurs in a national park, it is not necessarily safe from decline in numbers in the near future. The possible impact on its grassland habitat by bush encroachment by the indigenous tree <i>Leucosidea sericea</i> is a problem in the area and should be investigated. Fire regimes and the siting of hiking trails have to be well considered. Threats to the ecology of a possible associated ant species make the taxon a habitat specialist, consequently with a broader suite of possible threats. The ecosystem status of the habitat, from a vegetation perspective, is listed as Least Threatened.
Conservation
The taxon occurs in a national park, but appropriate fire management of the habitat is required.
[@book{772,
address = {Johannesburg &Cape Town},
author = {Mecenero, S., Ball, J.B., Edge, D.A., Hamer, M.L., Henning, G.A., Krüger, M., Pringle, E.L., Terblanche, R.F. & Williams, M.C. (eds)},
publisher = {Saftronics (pty) Ltd and Animal Demography Unit, University of Cape Town},
title = {Conservation assessment of butterflies of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland: Red List and Atlas.},
year = {2013}
}
,@book{772,
address = {Pretoria},
author = {Henning, G.A., Terblanche, R.F. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
publisher = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
title = {South African Red Data Book: butterflies. SANBI Biodiversity Series},
year = {2009}
}
,@article{772,
author = {SANBI},
journal = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
pages = {0},
title = { Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland [vector geospatial dataset] 2012. Available from the Biodiversity GIS website.},
volume = {0},
year = {2012}
}
,@article{890,
author = {Mucina, L. & Rutherford, M.C. (eds)},
journal = {Strelitzia},
pages = {0},
title = {The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.},
volume = {19},
year = {2006}
}
,@book{893,
author = {Williams, M.C.},
publisher = {CD-ROM. Available from the author at mark.williams[at]up.ac.za.},
title = {Butterflies and skippers of the Afrotropical Region.},
year = {2016}
}
,@article{15414,
author = {Edge, D.A. & van Hamburg, H.},
journal = {Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera},
pages = {21--33},
title = {Larval feeding behaviour and myrmecophily of the Brenton Blue, <i>Orachrysops niobe</i> (Trimen) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).},
volume = {42},
year = {2010}
}
,@techreport{161317981,
address = {Pretoria},
author = {Rouget, M., Reyers, B., Jonas, Z., Driver, A., Desmet, P., Maze. K., Egoh, B. Cowling, R.M., Rutherford, M. & Mucina, L.},
institution = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
title = {South African National Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Technical Report. Volume 1: Terrestrial Component.},
year = {2004}
}
,]
