Red List of South African Species

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Endangered (EN)
Assessors: David Edge
Facilitators: Mark Williams
Reviewers: Silvia Kirkman Domitilla Raimondo Rolf Oberprieler

Rationale

This is a range-restricted species endemic to the Limpopo Province in South Africa (EOO 1 160 km<sup>2</sup>, AOO 16 km<sup>2</sup>). The population is severely fragmented, with five small subpopulations separated by 20 to 45 km. There have been no confirmed recent records from Houtbosdorp, Long Tom Pass and Mount Sheba and these subpopulations may be extinct. There has therefore been an overall declining trend in the EOO, AOO, quality of the habitat and number of individuals for this species. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Endangered under criterion B. The most recent taxonomic determination of the known populations published was used to do a valid conservation assessment, employing improved knowledge of its distribution and population size. Despite there being an overall declining trend in the EOO, AOO, quality of the habitat and number of individuals this is not enough to have moved it into a different threat category since the previous assessment and thus previously an Endangered assessment would have been made. The change in status is therefore non-genuine.

Distribution

Endemic to the Limpopo Province in South Africa, originally recorded from the Woodbush/Houtbosdorp area near Haenertsberg. Subpopulations on Long Tom Pass and Mount Sheba, and at Verloren Valei, are recognised to represent this taxon. The subpopulation recorded in the Serala Wilderness area of the Wolkberg is also recognised as this taxon for the purpose of this conservation assessment.

Decline

P. swanepoeli has become extremely scarce (and may be extinct) at its type locality. The last specimens were taken in 1988. The reason for its decline is believed to be drying out of the wetlands where it formally occurred.

Population trend

Trend

The locations recognised are: 1. Woodbush/Houtbosdorp near Haenertsburg - one subpopulation, which is probably extinct; 2. Serala Wilderness area in the Wolkberg - one subpopulation; 3. Long Tom Pass and Mount Sheba - two subpopulations; 4. Verloren Valei Nature Reserve - one subpopulation. These locations are separated by distances of 20 to 45 km, far beyond the dispersal capacity of this habitat specialist montane species. The population is thus severely fragmented, with all of the subpopulations in small isolated patches of suitable habitat.

Threats

The type locality near Houtbosdorp in Limpopo Province has deteriorated because of invasive alien plants and afforestation, which dried out the wetland habitat. The Long Tom Pass and Mount Sheba localities are small in size and are threatened by possible expansion of plantations, alien plant invasions, fires and uncontrolled grazing. Subpopulations at Verloren Valei and in Serala Wilderness are protected and are not threatened.

Conservation

Searches for the taxon in the Woodbush/Houtbosdorp area should continue, and if it is found the area should be protected and properly managed.

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},
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 title = { Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland [vector geospatial dataset] 2012. Available from the Biodiversity GIS website.},
 volume = {0},
 year = {2012}
}
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 publisher = {Struik},
 title = {Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa.},
 year = {2005}
}
,@book{882,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Pringle, E.L., Henning, G.A. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
 publisher = {Struik-Winchester},
 title = {Pennington's Butterflies of southern Africa.},
 year = {1994}
}
,@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}
}
,@article{161331776,
 author = {Van Son, G.},
 journal = {Transvaal Museum Memoir},
 pages = {[i]–ix, 1–166 pp.},
 title = {The butterflies of Southern Africa: Nymphalidae: Danainae and Satyrinae.},
 volume = {8},
 year = {1955}
}
,]
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