Stevenson's Copper
Aloeides stevensoni
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Aloeides stevensoni faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited South African range. The species' specialized relationship with its host plants makes it particularly vulnerable to vegetation changes, while its small population size increases extinction risk from stochastic events. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the delicate ecological conditions required for both the butterfly and its ant mutualists.
Habitat
This critically endangered butterfly inhabits specialized fynbos vegetation in the Western Cape of South Africa, requiring specific plant communities that support both its larval host plants and the ant species essential for its complex life cycle. The species depends on intact, undisturbed fynbos ecosystems with the precise combination of vegetation structure and ant colonies necessary for successful reproduction.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in LYCAENIDAE
Threatened in Mozambique
Frequently asked questions
Why is Stevenson's Copper classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Stevenson's Copper live?
What are the main threats to Stevenson's Copper?
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