AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 10 December 2020

Genus Mopala Evans, 1937 Grass

A catalogue of the African Hesperiidae indicating the classification and nomenclature adopted in the British Museum: 7, 148 (212 pp.). Type-species: Ismene (?) orma Plötz, by original designation.

The genus Mopala belongs to the Family Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809; Subfamily Hesperiinae Latreille, 1809, Tribe Hesperiini Latreille, 1809. Other genera in the Tribe Hesperiini, are Lepella, Prosopalpus, Kedestes, Fulda, Gorgyra, Gyrogra, Teniorhinus, Flandria, Hollandus, Xanthodisca, Acada, Rhabdomantis, Osmodes, Parosmodes, Osphantes, Acleros, Paracleros, Semalea, Hypoleucis, Paronymus, Andronymus, Malaza, Perrotia, Ploetzia, Moltena, Chondrolepis, Zophopetes, Gamia, Artitropa, Tsitana, Pteroteinon, Leona, Caenides, Monza, Melphina, Melphinyet, Noctulana, Fresna, and Platylesches.

Mopala (Grass Skipper) is a monobasic Afrotropical genus. The larval host plant(s) is unknown (Cock et al., 2014: 4).

*Mopala orma (Plötz, 1879) Grass Skipper

Ismene? orma Plötz, 1879. Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung 40: 363 (353-364). Mopala orma Plötz, 1879. Evans, 1937.

Mopala orma. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Mbalmayo, . Jan-Apr 2002. Images MC Williams ex Gardiner Collection.

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Mopala orma. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Sangmelima, central-south Cameroon. September 1992. SCC. ABRI-2019-2349. Images MC Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Type locality: : “Agoncho”. Distribution: , , , , , Benin (south), , Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, , Democratic Republic of Congo, . Specific localities: Guinea – Nimba Mountains (Larsen, 2005a); Ziama (Safian et al., 2020). Liberia – Harbel (Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Boti Falls (Larsen, 2005a); Kakum (Larsen, 2005a); Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (Larsen, 2005a); Likpe (Larsen, 2005a); Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007). Benin – see Coache et al., 2017. Nigeria – Gambari (Larsen, 2005a); Benin (Larsen, 2005a); Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a); Ikom (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Agoncho (TL); Malibe (Vande weghe, 2010); Kinguele (Vande weghe, 2010); Waka (Vande weghe, 2010); Nouna (Vande weghe, 2010); Kangwe (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Mpanga Forest (Safian & Pyrcz, 2020). Habitat: Wet forest in reasonable condition (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: A generally scarce skipper (Larsen, 2005a). They may be found perching on leaves along forest paths (Larsen, 2005a). In Boabeng-Fiema, Ghana, individuals came to the pink flowers of a root parasite on a fig tree, together with Zophopetes cerymica, between 08:30 and 09:00 (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published.

violascens Plötz, 1882 (as sp. of Hesperia). Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung 43: 322 (314-344, 436- 456). No locality given.

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