Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Capys penningtoni (Capys penningtoni), recorded as Critically Endangered
Capys penningtoni (Capys penningtoni). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Capys penningtoni

Capys penningtoni

Capys penningtoni is a gossamer-winged butterfly in the family Lycaenidae (order Lepidoptera), recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Capys penningtoni
Taxonomy
Insecta · Lepidoptera · Lycaenidae · Capys

The gossamer-winged butterfly

The wingspan is 32–40 mm for males and 34–47 mm for females.

Range and habitat

It is endemic to South Africa, where it is restricted to the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg foothills.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet

The larvae feed on the flower buds of Protea afra and Protea simplex.

In crisis

Named moths and butterflies with a high threat category are often known from a small range and a thin series. Host-plant loss leaves little to recount.

Capys penningtoni is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Capys penningtoni, Wikidata item Q4847809. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Also in this catalog

Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Capys penningtoni?
Capys penningtoni is a gossamer-winged butterfly in the family Lycaenidae (order Lepidoptera).
What is the conservation status of Capys penningtoni?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Capys penningtoni. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Capys penningtoni live?
It is endemic to South Africa, where it is restricted to the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg foothills.
Why is Capys penningtoni in crisis?
Named moths and butterflies with a high threat category are often known from a small range and a thin series. Host-plant loss leaves little to recount.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Capys penningtoni?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Capys penningtoni a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.