Red List of South African Species

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Critically Endangered (CR)
B1ab(iii)
Assessors: Corinna Bazelet Piotr Naskrecki
Reviewers: Axel Hochkirch Mark Bushell

Rationale

The Cave Katydid (Cedarbergeniana imperfecta) is Critically Endangered under criterion B1 because its extent of occurrence is very small (~57 km2), its populations are severely fragmented, and its habitat quality and extent are estimated to be in decline. This species occurs only within suitable, high elevation caves at the top of the Cederberg Mountain range. The entire range of the species falls within a protected area, the Cederberg Wilderness Area, which affords it a great deal of protection. However, because this species is so limited in its distribution range, and because of its unparalleled habitat specialization, destruction of its few locations would almost certainly lead to the extinction of the species as a whole.

Distribution

The Cave Katydid is endemic to high elevation caves of the Cederberg Mountains, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Population trend

Trend

Populations of the Cave Katydid are severely fragmented and each suitable, high elevation cave within the geographic range of the species contains a separate population. The carrying capacity of individual caves is as yet unclear, as is the mode and degree of exchange of individuals among caves (i.e. populations).

Threats

This species is a trogloxene, relying on suitable conditions both within the caves they inhabit as well as requiring the presence of suitable food plants in the immediate vicinity of the cave. Therefore, processes which may ultimately threaten the survival of the species as a whole include climate change-induced temperature shifts, processes which alter the dispersal of the food plant or those which cause the Rock Hyrax to encroach on previously uninhabited caves, as Cave Katydids and Rock Hyrax do not appear to inhabit the same caves. As the cave habitats of this species are only found on inaccessible mountaintops within a protected area, the species is shielded from most direct human activities because the region is not suitable for development or cultivation.

Uses and trade

This species is not utilized.

Conservation

No specific conservation measures are in place for this species but its entire distribution range falls within the Cederberg Wilderness protected area.

References 

[@electronic{58124,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{20641107,
 author = {Naskrecki, P.},
 journal = {Journal of African Zoology},
 number = {3},
 pages = {279--320},
 title = {The Mecopodinae of southern Africa (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea: Tettigoniidae)},
 volume = {108.0},
 year = {1994}
}
,]
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