Dickson's Strandveld Copper
Chrysoritis dicksoni
Photo: Photo: (c) Fanie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Fanie
Overview
Dickson's copper or Dickson's strandveld copper is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known inland from Witsand in a single spot in fynbos. Previously, it was also found north of Cape Town. It is sometimes separated in the monotypic genus Oxychaeta.
Chrysoritis dicksoni faces severe threats from urban development and agricultural expansion across its extremely limited range in the Western Cape of South Africa. The species' dependence on specific ant species for its larval development makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and degradation. Invasive alien vegetation has altered the natural fynbos ecosystem structure, disrupting the delicate ecological relationships this butterfly requires for survival.
Habitat
This butterfly inhabits remnant patches of natural fynbos vegetation in the Western Cape, particularly areas with suitable host plants and the specific ant species required for its complex life cycle. The species is restricted to a very small geographic range where these precise ecological conditions converge.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in LYCAENIDAE
Threatened in South Africa
Frequently asked questions
Why is Dickson's Strandveld Copper classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Dickson's Strandveld Copper live?
What are the main threats to Dickson's Strandveld Copper?
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