A range-restricted endemic species in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa (EOO 0.06 km<sup>2</sup>, AOO 8 km<sup>2</sup>). There is one location. The subpopulation at the type locality is no longer extant due to the destruction of its habitat by invasion of alien vegetation and lack of burning. Only one colony, at Dindela in Sekhukhuneland, is known, which appears to move regularly indicating that it may be unstable. Declines have been recorded for extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, area, quality of habitat, number of locations and subpopulations, and number of mature individuals, This is based on half the known localities being destroyed and habitat threat to the only known subpopulation. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Critically Endangered under criterion B. The 2012 assessment applied the Red Listing incorrectly when determining the number of locations. There was and still is only one known location, whereas for the previous assessment two locations were incorrectly given. The threats are the same and thus the change in status from Endangered to Critically Endangered is non-genuine.
Distribution
Endemic to Mpumalanga Province and Limpopo Province in South Africa, formerly found on the top of a pass to the south-west of Stoffberg, now only found on the mountain above Dindela.
Decline
The habitat at the type locality has been modified by alien invasive plants and lack of fire.
The small colonies at the Stoffberg location have not been recorded in recent times and their habitat is overgrown with alien vegetation. Currently only one subpopulation, north of Stoffberg at Dindela, is known.
Threats
The habitat at the type locality in the area south-west of Stoffberg has already become overgrown by invasive alien plants and secondary succession, largely owing to a lack of burning, and is uninhabitable for the butterfly taxon. The only known remaining locality at Dindela is on tribal land where burning, grazing and habitat modification is causing ongoing decline in habitat quality.
Conservation
A management plan should be developed that includes regular monitoring of population levels and habitat quality, the removal of alien invasive trees and the implementation of an appropriate fire regime. Autecological study is needed.
[@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}
}
,@book{890,
address = {Pretoria},
author = {Henning, S.F. & Henning, G.A.},
publisher = {Council for Scientific and Industrial Research},
title = {South Africa Red Data Book - Butterflies.},
year = {1989}
}
,]
