The Upland Agile Grasshopper is widespread in the east of South Africa and Lesotho. Its extant of occurrence (EOO) is ca 350,000 km². It might be locally impacted by plantations of exotic trees or pesticides, but its population is probably very large and the species has been reported to be locally common. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.
Distribution
This species occurs in the eastern part of South Africa and Lesotho. It might possibly occur also in Swaziland. A record from Aus (Namibia) is probably wrong and here not considered. Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is ca 350,000 km².
The species has been reported as widespread and locally common in the north-eastern Cape (Armstrong and van Hensbergen 1997). The population trend is unknown.
Threats
The species has been reported to be negatively affected by pesticides used for locust control (Stewart 1998). Plantations of exotic trees (particularly pines and eucalypts) may also be a threat to this species.
Uses and trade
The species is not utilized.
Conservation
No specific conservation action is in place for this species, but it occurs in protected areas (e.g. Verloren Valei Nature Reserve, Nooitgedacht Dam Nature Reserve). Research into its distribution, habitat requirements, threats and population trend is needed. The genus Calliptamulus is in need of taxonomic revision.
[@electronic{2573,
address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
author = {IUCN},
title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-1},
year = {2018}
}
,@electronic{15431178,
address = { http://Orthoptera.SpeciesFile.org},
author = {Eades, D.C., Otte, D., Cigliano, M.M. and Braun, H.},
title = {Orthoptera Species File. Version 5.0/5.0},
year = {2014}
}
,@article{116114650,
author = {Stewart, D.A.B.},
journal = {Journal of Insect Conservation},
pages = {263--276},
title = {Non-target grasshoppers as indicators of the side-effects of chemical locust control in the Karoo, South Africa},
volume = {2.0},
year = {1998}
}
,@article{116114650,
author = {Armstrong, A.J., and van Hensbergen, H.J.},
journal = {Biological Conservation},
pages = {179--190},
title = {Evaluation of afforestable montane grasslands for wildlife conservation in the North-eastern Cape, South Africa},
volume = {81.0},
year = {1997}
}
,]
