A range-restricted endemic taxon from the Western Cape Province, South Africa (EOO 5 km<sup>2</sup>). There are three locations. This taxon is found on hills in and around Morreesberg, Koringberg and Piketberg. Although fairly restricted in range it is found wherever its host plant occurs, on several hills in this area, where they can be common. Although common where found, this taxon exists in a highly transformed landscape and is constantly threatened by further ploughing and insecticide use. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Vulnerable under criterion D. Although common where found this taxon exists in a highly transformed landscape and is constantly threatened by insecticide use and therefore qualifies as Vulnerable under criterion D2. Conditions have not changed since the previous assessment, thus previously the Red List criteria were incorrectly applied and it should have been Vulnerable then too. Thus the change in status from Least Concern to Vulnerable is non-genuine.
Distribution
Endemic to the Western Cape Province in South Africa, from near Morreesburg in the south to Piketberg in the north.
Decline
Intensive (mostly Wheat) farming has driven this butterfly onto the last few hills that still have it's foodplant growing upon them.
This taxon has lost most of its habitat to wheat cultivation and is vulnerable to future expansion of wheat fields and any pesticides used on these crops that are in close proximity.
[@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},
author = {Woodhall, S.E.},
publisher = {Struik},
title = {Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa.},
year = {2005}
}
,@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}
}
,]
