Rationale
(Changed due to Same category and criteria)
This range restricted taxon is endemic to the Western Cape Province, South Africa (EOO 6 km<sup>2</sup>). It is protected together with the forest in which it flies in the Grootvadersbos Nature Reserve. This is the largest remaining forest in the south-western Cape. This taxon is a habitat specialist and only occurs in this forest where its larval host plant, <i>Scutia myrtina</i>, grows under the canopy. There are no immediate threats to this taxon. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Least Concern and is nationally classified as Extremely Rare.
Distribution
Endemic to the Western Cape Province in South Africa, in the Swellendam area in a single forest. Also possibly found in forest pockets in the general area and along forested streams.
The Western Cape is experiencing a severe drought. This may have a negative impact on population numbers in future. This taxon is found in damp forested areas where its host plant Cat-thorn (<i>Scutia myrtina</i>) grows. Any negative impact on the abundance of the larval host plant could have an effect on the abundance of the species. There are presently no notable signs of the drought's impact on the butterfly.
Conservation
This taxon has only been found in a single forest reserve, which requires continued conservation. The area is proclaimed as a World Heritage site, under the authority of CapeNature and is currently afforded the necessary protection levels. CapeNature management has been informed of the taxon’s occurrence at Grootvadersbosch and remains interested in any and all research on the species.
[@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},
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title = {Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa.},
year = {2005}
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,@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}
}
,]
