Red List of South African Species

Alternatively, Explore species
| National Red List categories | Partners |
Extinct (EX)
Assessors: Jonathan Ball
Facilitators: Mark Williams
Reviewers: Silvia Kirkman Domitilla Raimondo Rolf Oberprieler

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

This endemic taxon has not been seen for 50 years despite extensive searching in the known localities. These localities are close to longstanding areas of agricultural activity, housing development and quarry activity. Renosterveld is one of the most threatened vegetation types in the Western Cape. Further searching is required. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Extinct.

Distribution

An extinct taxon that was endemic to the Western Cape Province in South Africa, where it used to occur on the Tygerberg Hills near Cape Town. No other colonies are known.

Decline

The western part of the Tygerberg Hills underwent huge vegetative change due to agriculture (wheat and vineyards) and mining (a massive quarry). According to Mr. Charles Dickson (pers. comms.) this caused the demise of the insect over a 50 year period.

Population trend

Trend

Extinct.

Threats

As the taxon is extinct, there are no threats.

Conservation

No conservation actions recommended as this taxon is extinct.

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{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}
}
,@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}
}
,@book{10844,
 address = {Halfway House},
 author = {Williams, M.C.},
 publisher = {Southern Book Publishers},
 title = {Butterflies of Southern Africa: A Field Guide.},
 year = {1994}
}
,]
Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Lead agencies, Partners and Funders

See the partners page