Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Lepidochrysops praeterita (Lepidochrysops praeterita), recorded as Endangered
Lepidochrysops praeterita (Lepidochrysops praeterita). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Lepidochrysops praeterita

Lepidochrysops praeterita

Lepidochrysops praeterita, the Highveld blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Lepidochrysops praeterita
Taxonomy
Insecta · Lepidoptera · Lycaenidae · Lepidochrysops

The gossamer-winged butterfly

The wingspan is 36–42 mm for males and 38–44 mm for females.

Range and habitat

It is found in South Africa, from Potchefstroom in North West to Walkerville in Gauteng and Sasolburg in the Free State province.

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

Diet

The larvae feed on Becium grandiflorum.

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.

Lepidochrysops praeterita is 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 Lepidochrysops praeterita, Wikidata item Q6527565. 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 Lepidochrysops praeterita?
Lepidochrysops praeterita, the Highveld blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
What is the conservation status of Lepidochrysops praeterita?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Lepidochrysops praeterita. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Lepidochrysops praeterita live?
It is found in South Africa, from Potchefstroom in North West to Walkerville in Gauteng and Sasolburg in the Free State province.
Why is Lepidochrysops praeterita 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 Lepidochrysops praeterita?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Lepidochrysops praeterita a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.