Rationale
(Changed due to Same category and criteria)
This is an endemic species from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa (EOO 15 830 km<sup>2</sup>). There are six recorded locations. The locations around Mbulu are under severe threat from invasion by Black Wattle (<i>Acacia mearnsii</i>), and the number of mature individuals appear to have declined there. Known localities for the taxon are few and fragmented, and invasive alien plants and livestock overgrazing is causing ongoing decline in habitat quality at most of the locations. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Vulnerable under criterion B.
Distribution
Endemic to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa, from Ngxingxolo in the south to the southern Drakensberg in the north.
Decline
Invasion of its main locality at Tsomo by Black Wattle.
The Mbulu Forest locality is severely threatened by invasive Black Wattle, <i>Acacia mearnsii</i>. High intensity grazing also poses a significant risk.
Conservation
Removal of alien invasive plants, especially <i>Acacia mearnsii</i>, is required at the type locality and other sites. Further searches for additional subpopulations are urgently required. Verification of the distribution of this taxon and an in depth taxonomic study of its known subpopulations is required because taxonomic confusion with the closely related <i>C. lycegenes</i>, which occurs further north, may obscure the true conservation status of this taxon.
[@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{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}
}
,@article{161337163,
author = {Heath, A. & Pringle, E.L.},
journal = {Metamorphosis},
pages = {2--44, plus CD--ROM},
title = {Biological observations and taxonomic review based on morphological characters in the myrmecophilous genus <i>Chrysoritis</i> Butler (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Aphnaeini). },
volume = {18},
year = {2007}
}
,]
