This is a range-restricted endemic taxon from around Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (EOO 69 km<sup>2</sup>). There are seven locations. Urban development has destroyed three subpopulations over the past forty years. For example, it would appear that it can no longer be found in Walmer, where at least two locations occurred. There is ongoing loss as a result of urban development and habitat degradation from invasive alien plants. However, nearly all of the remaining locations do occur within public or private nature reserves. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Vulnerable under criterion B. More accurate data have been used for the current assessment, and the Red List categories and criteria have been better applied since the previous assessment. There are seven locations. The previous assessment was not correct and should have been Vulnerable too, thus the change in status from Endangered to Vulnerable is non-genuine.
Distribution
Endemic to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, found only near Port Elizabeth.
Decline
This area is under pressure from ongoing urbanisation.
The habitats suitable for the taxon have been drastically reduced due to invasive Australian acacias (<i>A. longifolia</i> and <i>A. Cyclops</i>) as well as urban expansion. Seven of the 11 subpopulations are found within nature reserves and currently have no threats (two subpopulations at Summerstrand within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University reserve; two subpopulations at Cape Recife where a busy road and alien vegetation separates the two subpopulations; and two subpopulations at Schoenmakerskop where an intersecting road is a complete barrier). There is a subpopulation along the coast below Schoenmakerskop and towards Sardinia Bay that has no current significant threats. Two subpopulations at Humewood are separated by a big road and dense urban development and are currently experiencing habitat loss due to ongoing urban development. No adults have been seen at two subpopulations in Walmer and Bakens Valley since the 1980s, but regular surveys have not been conducted so there is a possibility of this taxon still occurring there. The Bakens Valley locality is in a conserved area with no current threats. The Walmer locality is near a township and under threat from urban development.
Conservation
The existing sites should be monitored and protected, and appropriate management plans should be implemented.
[@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}
}
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title = {South African Red Data Book: butterflies. SANBI Biodiversity Series},
year = {2009}
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title = {Field Notes including a summary of trophic and ant-associations for the butterfly genera <i>Chrysoritis</i> Butler, <i>Aloeides</i> Hübner and <i>Thestor</i> Hübner (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from South Afirca. },
volume = {19},
year = {2008}
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journal = {Metamorphosis},
pages = {2--44, plus CD--ROM},
title = {Biological observations and taxonomic review based on morphological characters in the myrmecophilous genus <i>Chrysoritis</i> Butler (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Aphnaeini). },
volume = {18},
year = {2007}
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,]
