This may be a species complex, but a molecular study specifically focusing on this species is needed (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023).

This species is listed as Vulnerable on the basis that it has an extent of occurrence of approximately 13,427 km² in a heavily transformed area and is probably reliant on refugial habitats, and it is considered to occur in seven locations defined by threats from farming and urban development. It nevertheless remains ecologically poorly-known and further research is needed to clarify the degree of population fragmentation.

This species is known only from a cluster of localities in the Boland region of Western Cape Province, South Africa (Davis et al. 2020). It has been collected between 62 and 871 m asl (Davis et al. 2020). Related species occur in surrounding areas, suggesting that the limits of the range are well-characterised (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). It has been reported from the eastern part of Somerset East (Abdalla et al. 2018), however this is thought to be an erroneous locality and may be a typographic error for a site in the eastern part of Somerset West first reported by Frolov and Scholtz (2004). An unpublished museum record from Pieketberg Mountain, at the edge of the known range (UPSA reference collection), may have been misidentified, as subsequent collections from this site appear to represent a different species and no sympatry is known in this genus (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023).

There is no information on the population status of this species. It is likely to be adversely impacted by shrubland degradation, and so may be in decline. As a flightless species known from a small number of localities characterised by natural vegetation across a moderately large area much of which is transformed, its population may be severely fragmented but this requires more data to confirm.

A total of 12 specimens were recorded in pasture adjacent to somewhat disturbed shrubland in August-September 1987-1988, taken 1-2 at a time (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). The most recent specimen was collected from a patch of Renosterveld in Stellenbosch, in August in or around 2012/2013 (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023).

Records have been taken from several Renosterveld and Fynbos vegetation units (Davis et al. 2020) in an area characterised by shrubland on finer-grained soils with a dry climate (mean annual rainfall 265-466 mm, and mean annual temperature 15.5–17.8 °C) (Davis et al. 2020). During a year-long survey of sandy loam in grassland adjacent to degraded shrubland on a farm the species was collected on several occasions, likely as vagrants or immigrants from the adjacent shrub patch (Davis et al. 2020). During this survey specimens were sampled from cattle dung, and it has since been sampled from pig dung, but there are no quantitative data on food associations (Davis et al. 2020). It is flightless and has been recorded during early winter and spring in the rainy season (May to October) (Davis et al. 2020).

Much of the natural vegetation across this species' range has been transformed due to agricultural (including intensive dairy farming and vineyards) and urban development, amounting to between 57 and 90% in four of six vegetation units within its range, with three having lost 80-90%. As a flightless species this beetle may be highly sensitive to habitat fragmentation, and a number of records suggest that the species may be reliant on remnant habitat or little-transformed refugia within transformed landscapes (Davis et al. 2020). The shrubland patch where the species was sampled in 1987-1988 was "very much reduced" on a subsequent visit several years later, and lies in an area where flat areas have otherwise been completely cleared and higher elevations host a different vegetation community (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). A locality at Stellenbosch is probably protected as part of the university campus, but this is a small patch of natural vegetation along a road surrounded by pine plantations (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023).

There is no information on any use of or trade in this species.

This species is not known from any protected areas. Research is needed to clarify this species' extent of occurrence, occupancy patterns and ecological associations (Davis et al. 2020).