Chrysoritis lyndseyae | SANBI Sensitive Species

Assessor: Dave Edge

Sensitive in 2010

Family

Lycaenidae

Exploitation extent

None - this species and its close relatives are not exploited, collected, traded or utilized in a targeted manner.

Population vulnerability

Population is vulnerable: size is <= 2500 mature individuals OR the number of known subpopulations is <= 5 OR range is <= 100km² OR species at risk of localised extinctions

Justification and references

This species was originally described in 1979 by S.F. Henning, but synonymised with C. thysbe bamptoni (Dickson) by Heath (2001). Although it was reinstated by Heath in 2011, it was not included in Mecenero et al. 2013.

Henning, S.F. 1979. Description of two new species of Poecilmitis (Butler) from Namaqualand, South Africa. Journal of the Entomological Society of southern Africa 42: 153.

Heath, A. 2001. New synonymies and taxonomic notes on the genus Chrysoritis Butler (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Metamorphosis 12(3): 85–98.

http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF/806/Metamorphosis%20Vol%2012(3)%20complete.pdf

Heath, A. 2011. Taxonomic issues between Chrysoritis lyndseyae (S.F. Henning) stat. rev. and C. thysbe bamptoni (Dickson) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Aphnaeini). Metamorphosis 22(3): 97-101.

http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF/13/Metamorphosis%20Vol%2022(3%20&%204)_71-132%20Sept%20Dec%202011.pdf

It has been assessed during the current National Biodiversity Assessment and has been categorised as "Least Concern-Extremely Rare". It is a highly restricted range endemic from Namaqualand.

Regeneration potential

This species has a slow population growth rate, or the growth rate varies depending on habitat, and there is a poor chance the wild populations will recover from exploitation OR a collector might feasibly harvest the entire extant population removing the chance of subsequent recruitment.