Red List of South African Species

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Critically Endangered (CR)
Assessors: Jonathan Ball
Facilitators: Mark Williams
Reviewers: Silvia Kirkman Domitilla Raimondo Rolf Oberprieler

Rationale

An endemic range-restricted taxon from the Western Cape Province in South Africa. This butterfly has not been seen for 32 years in areas close to Cape Town. It is possibly extinct. Most of the previously known subpopulations have experienced significant habitat destruction and degradation. The type locality on the Tygerberg Hills, is now a massive quarry, with a north-south diameter of about 1 km. The window of relevance of conservation measures has probably passed. However, continued searching for possible further subpopulations is still required before this taxon is listed as Extinct. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) under criterion B.

Distribution

Endemic to the Western Cape Province in South Africa's, occurs on low hills south of Darling and near Malmesbury, and used to occur on the Tygerberg Hills, near Cape Town in the south.

Decline

Significant, longstanding habitat degradation and fragmentation due to farming, invasive alien vegetation, housing and mining has occurred in this taxon's former range. The area at the type locality (C.G.C. Dickson, pers. comm.) is now an enormous quarry 1.1 x 0.5 km in size on the western side of the Tygerberg Hills. The Renosterveld in which this taxon occurred is itself one of the most endangered Vegetation Types (Cowling and Richardson, 1995).

Population trend

Trend

Last seen in 1985.

Threats

Habitat degradation and fragmentation due to farming, invasive plants, housing and mining are all major threats. Mining has resulted in loss of the type locality. Possible climate changes could also affect vegetation required by the species. This butterfly has not been seen since 1985 and is probably extinct.

Conservation

Surveys to determine the presence of any other subpopulations are required. Adults of this taxon have not been seen for just over three decades.

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}
}
,]
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