SANBI

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

A range-restricted taxon endemic to central Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa (EOO 193 km<sup>2</sup>). This taxon is known from three subpopulations occurring in isolated scarp forest patches. While there are no current threats, climate change, in particular higher ambient temperature in the western and central parts of the distribution of this taxon, is expected to have an impact on the population of this forest-specialist taxon through habitat alteration. Although the population is naturally fragmented, the expected decrease in habitat intactness and the impacts of climate change is likely to increase the fragmentation of the population. Decline in the taxon's EOO and AOO may occur in the next few decades, but the exact impact on the taxon cannot be determined owing to the ameliorating effects that microhabitat diversity might have. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Least Concern and is nationally classified as Rare (Restricted Range and Habitat Specialist).

Distribution

Endemic to KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, in parts of central Zululand, from Dlinza Forest in the south-east to Qudeni Forest in the north-west.

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

At least three subpopulations exist, as the taxon is known to inhabit three widely separated forests. Although the butterflies are powerful fliers, they seem to remain in a forest, not being known to fly across some tens of kilometres of non-forest terrain as would be required to migrate from one subpopulation to another.

Threats

Climate change and habitat fragmentation are expected to affect the population in the future. Over the next few decades, temperatures are expected to be much higher in the western and central parts of the taxon's distribution, causing habitat alteration. Habitat intactness is expected to decrease in the eastern and central parts of the taxon's extent of occurrence.

Uses and trade

Limited removal of specimens from the wild occurs for research, collections and ex-situ breeding in butterfly houses.

Conservation

Encouraging the planting of host plants in gardens next to or near forests through awareness campaigns might assist in increasing the population.

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}
}
,@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},
 author = {Pringle, E.L., Henning, G.A. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
 publisher = {Struik-Winchester},
 title = {Pennington's Butterflies of southern Africa.},
 year = {1994}
}
,@book{884,
 address = {Jukskei Park & Sasolburg},
 author = {Kroon, D.M.},
 publisher = {Lepidopterists' Society of Africa And D.M. kroon},
 title = {Lepidoptera of Southern Africa: host-plants and other associations. A catalogue.},
 year = {1999}
}
,@article{3844,
 author = {Jewitt, D. Erasmus, B.F.N., Goodman, P.A., O'Connor, T.G., Hargrove, W.W., Maddalena, D.M. & Witkowski, E.T.F.},
 journal = {Applied Geography},
 pages = {33--42},
 title = {Climate-induced change of environmentally defined floristic domains: A conservation based vulnerability framework.},
 volume = {63},
 year = {2015}
}
,@article{15413,
 author = {Jewitt, D., Goodman, P.S., Erasmus, B.F.N., O'Connor, T.G. & Witkowski, E.T.F.},
 journal = {Environmental Management},
 pages = {792--806},
 title = {Planning for the maintenance of floristic diversity in the face of land cover and climate change.},
 volume = {59},
 year = {2017}
}
,]

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Red List of South African Species