Genus Phytala Westwood, [1851] Forest Flash

AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 30 December 2020

In: Doubleday & Westwood, [1846-52]. The genera of diurnal Lepidoptera, London: pl. 77 (1: 1-250 pp.; 2: 251-534 pp.). London.). Type-species: Phytala elais Westwood, by monotypy.

The genus Phytala belongs to the Family Lycaenidae Leach, 1815; Subfamily Poritiinae Doherty, 1886; Tribe Epitolini Jackson, 1962. The other genera in the Tribe Epitolini in the Afrotropical Region are Iridana, Teratoneura, Epitola, Cerautola, Hewitola, Geritola, Stempfferia, Cephetola, Deloneura, Batelusia, Tumerepedes, Pseudoneaveia, Neaveia, Epitolina, Hypophytala, Neoepitola, Aethiopana, Hewitsonia, and Powellana.

Phytala (Forest Flash) is a purely Afrotropical genus containing a single species.

*Phytala elais Westwood, [1851] Forest Flash

Phytala elais Westwood, [1851]. In: Doubleday & Westwood [1846-52]. The genera of diurnal Lepidoptera, London: pl. 77 [1851], 471 [1852] (1: 1-250 pp.; 2: 251-534 pp.). London. Phytala elais Westwood, 1851. d’Abrera, 2009: 664.

Phytala elais elais. Male. Left – upperside; right- underside. Mbalmayo, Cameroon. Jan. to Apr. 2002. Gardiner Collection. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection.

Phytala elais elais. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Camp Kombo, Cameroon. 5 May 2019. J. Dobson. Images M.C.Williams ex Dobson Collection.

Type locality: Ghana: “Ashanti”. Distribution: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda. Habitat: Forest. Habits: Generally scarce (Larsen, 2005a). Often perches on dry palm fronds, which may have earned it its specific name (the same as the generic name for the oil palm) (Larsen, 2005a). A single male has been noted patrolling 20 m of a forest path at high speed (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published.

Note: Larsen (2005a) states that there is a possibility that the two subspecies in West Africa represent two distinct species.

Phytala elais elais Westwood, [1851]

Phytala elais elais. Male. Left – upperside; right- underside. Mbalmayo, Cameroon. Jan. to Apr. 2002. Gardiner Collection. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection.

Phytala elais elais. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Camp Kombo, Cameroon. 5 May 2019. J. Dobson. Images M.C.Williams ex Dobson Collection.

Type locality: Ghana: “Ashanti”. Distribution: Ivory Coast (east), Ghana, Benin (south), Nigeria (south and Cross River loop), Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo. Specific localities: Ghana – Kakum (Larsen, 2005a). Benin – see Coache et al., 2017. Gabon – Waka (Vande weghe, 2010). Central African Republic – Dzanga (Noss 1998). Democratic Republic of Congo – Central Forest Block (Ducarme, 2018).

Phytala elais catori Bethune-Baker, 1903

Phytala elais catori Bethune-Baker, 1903. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (7) 12: 328 (324-334). Phytala elais catori Bethune-Baker, 1903. d’Abrera, 2009: 664.

Type locality: Sierra Leone: “Sierra Leone”. Distribution: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast (west). Specific localities: Sierra Leone – Ohne (Strand, 1920). Liberia – Wologizi (Safian et al., 2020).

elaidina Strand, 1920 (as sp. of Phytala). Internationale Entomologische Zeitschrift 19: 148 (146-152). Sierra Leone: “Ohne Lokalitätsangbe”.

Phytala elais ugandae Jackson, 1964

Phytala elais ugandae Jackson, 1964. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 15: 60 (59-80). Phytala elais ugandae Jackson, 1964. d’Abrera, 2009: 664.

Type locality: Uganda: “Bwamba Forest, Semliki Valley”. Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan (south), Uganda. Specific localities: Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Blue (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Bwamba Forest, Semuliki Valley (TL); Semuliki N.P. (S. Forbes & H. Selb, unpublished, 2016).