Duplessis' Agile Katydid (Griffiniana duplessisae) is Critically Endangered under criterion B1 because its extent of occurrence is small (~70 km2), it has only been collected from one location, and the area, extent, and quality of its habitat are expected to be in decline in the long-term. It seems likely that the distribution of this species is confined to a protected area, the Cederberg Wilderness Area, ensuring its survival in the short-term. However, the Cederberg Mountains fall within the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot, a biome which is experiencing altered fire regimes with the potential to cause large-scale ecosystem shifts and multiple adverse effects to resident organisms. Furthermore, climate change related alterations to rainfall patterns and ambient temperatures are expected to gradually cause decline in extent and quality of habitat within this biome as a whole in the long-term.
Distribution
Duplessis' Agile Katydid is endemic to the Cederberg Mountains of Western Cape Province, South Africa.
No information on population sizes or trends is available.
Threats
The principal threat to this species is habitat destruction by cultivation with annual crops, over-grazing, urban development or alien species invasion. Climate change is also likely to effect the distribution of the species host plants by altering fire regimes, rainfall patterns and ambient temperatures.
Uses and trade
This species is not utilized.
Conservation
The entire known range of this species falls within the protected areas of the Cederberg Mountains, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve.
[@electronic{58124,
address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
author = {IUCN},
title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3},
year = {2014}
}
,@article{20641490,
author = {Naskrecki, P. and Bazelet, C.S.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
pages = {47--58},
title = {A revision of the southern African katydid genus Griffiniana Karny (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Mecopodinae)},
volume = {3218.0},
year = {2012}
}
,]
