SANBI

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

This taxon is endemic to grasslands in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa (EOO 5 796 km<sup>2</sup>). There are 15 subpopulations at nine locations. The majority of the subpopulations occur inland of the city of Durban. This area is experiencing extremely rapid urbanisation and population growth. Pristine, undisturbed and properly managed areas of suitable habitat are decreasing. The number of subpopulations and thus the AOO is decreasing. Numbers in the two northern locations, both occurring in protected areas can be assumed to be stable. Appropriate fire management is essential to the maintenance of the relevant vegetation types, and unseasonal burning is becoming commonplace. The habitat niche required by this taxon is very specific, with a particular structure of rocky patches necessary in the grassland. The rocks act as a substrate for the larval food (lichens), and the shelter of the grasses adjacent to the rocks is necessary for both larvae and pupae. These niche requirements are only met in small areas, in which colonies are established. A very high percentage of records for this taxon are from the southern or Durban inland location. A number of subpopulations in this location have been lost, and further subpopulations are expected to be lost in the near future, as habitat transformation is probably unstoppable in this area. This will probably lead to a major population reduction. This taxon exists typically in small and extremely localised colonies extending to only a few hundred m2. All recorded populations to date have fewer than 250 individuals and the overall populations is suspected to less than 1 000 adults. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Endangered under criterion C.

Distribution

Endemic to the KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, inland of Durban in the south and on the hills near the Ngoye and Nkandla forests in the north.

Decline

Rapid human population growth causing landuse transformation and degradation through urbanisation and development. Continuous livestock pressures, inappropriate veld and fire management, and alien plant invasion are impacting negatively on the habitat. A rapid continued decline is expected in the southern location and some subpopulations have probably been lost in the last 10 years.

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

Probably fewer than 1 000 adult specimens emerge per year, based on a daily record of about thirty specimens per site, flying for a period of three to four weeks with a population turnover of about five days at five sites.

Threats

Most known sites are adjacent to areas with high human population density. Overgrazing and human settlement pressures potentially threaten the remaining habitat. Over 60% of the localities are near to rapidly expanding human settlements. In the southern part of this taxon’s range some of the habitats may be lost within the next ten years, and some have already been lost to settlement and other development.

Conservation

Inclusion in land-use and development planning is recommended. Conservation measures should be habitat-orientated. Conservation authorities in the northern locations should receive appropriate awareness training.

References

[@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{882,
 address = {Cape Town, South Africa},
 author = {Woodhall, S.E.},
 publisher = {Struik},
 title = {Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa.},
 year = {2005}
}
,@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}
}
,]

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Red List of South African Species