AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 17 March 2021

Genus Gamia Holland, 1896 Grand Skippers

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 84 (2-107). Type-species: Proteides galua Holland, by original designation.

The genus Gamia 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, Tsitana, Artitropa, Mopala, Pteroteinon, Leona, Caenides, Monza, Melphina, Melphinyet, Noctulana, Fresna, and Platylesches.

Gamia (Grand Skippers) is an Afrotropical genus of three large species. Van Someren (1974) recorded the larvae on Arecaceae but, subsequently, this was found to be erroneous, the larvae instead utilize Dracaena (Asparagaceae) (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Generic review by Miller & Collins, 1997 (Metamorphosis 8 (4): 147).

*Gamia abri Miller & Collins, 1997 Congo Grand Skipper

Gamia abri Miller & Collins, 1997. Metamorphosis 8 (4): 154 (147-159).

Gamia abri. Male (Paratype). Left – upperside; right – underside. Yakoli, Central African Republic. August 1996. SCC. ABRI-2019- 2574. Images M.C. Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Gamia abri. Female (Paratype). Left – upperside; right – underside.

1 Bombabia, Central African Republic. 1995. SCC. ABRI-2019- 2575. Images M.C. Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Type locality: Central African Republic: “Mambe/RCA/16.6.96/S C Collins.” Described from four males and a single female, from the Central African Republic. Holotype in the African Butterfly Research Institute, Nairobi. Distribution: Central African Republic. Specific localities: Central African Republic – Mambe (TL). Known only from the type locality. Flight period: Recorded in June, July, August and September (Miller & Collins, 1997). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published.

*Gamia buchholzi (Plötz, 1879) Large Grand Skipper

Hesperia buchholzi Plötz, 1879. Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung 40: 354 (353-364).

Gamia buchholzi. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Kapsemote, western Kenya. November 2004. Bred. SCC. ABRI-2019-2573. Images M.C. Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Gamia buchholzi. Female (wingspan 33 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Bitje, Cameroon. 16 June 1996. NHM Collection, London. Images courtesy T.B. Larsen.

Type locality: Ghana: “Aburi”. Diagnosis: Differs from Gamia shelleyi in that the hindwing upperside discal band is narrower and does not invade space 1b (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Distribution: Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic (Miller & Collins, 1997), Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: 2 Sierra Leone – Moyamba (Larsen, 2005a). Ivory Coast – Abidjan (Larsen, 2005a); Mount Peko (Larsen, 2005a); Lamto (Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Aburi (TL); Big Tree (Larsen, 2005a); Atewa Range (Larsen, 2005a); Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007). Nigeria – Agege (Larsen, 2005a); Gambari (Larsen, 2005a); Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a); Obudu Town (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Ogove Valley (Holland, 1893); Kangwe (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018). Kenya – Kisumu (Larsen, 1991c); South Kavirondo (Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Kere Hill, in Minziro Forest (one pair) (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Forest, including somewhat degraded forest (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: An uncommon crepuscular skipper (Larsen, 2005a) that appears to keep to deep shade (Congdon & Collins, 1998). The flight is fast and direct, in a curious buzzing manner (Larsen, 1991c). Larsen (2005a) noted that they perched on tree trunks, about 1.5 m above the ground, and when disturbed flew off to land on another trunk. They do not appear to be active during the day but on dull days they may emerge from the forest to feed on flowers (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages:

Cock et al., 2015: 306. [larva & pupa]

Congdon et al., 2017 [final instar larva].

Larval food: Borassus aethiopum Mart. (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)]. Dracaena arborea (Willd.) Link (Asparagaceae) [Vuattoux, 1999; Lamto, Ivory Coast]. Dracaena camerooniana Baker (Asparagaceae) [Cock et al., 2015]. Dracaena species (Asparagaceae) [Congdon & Collins, 1998: 23]. Dracaena steudneri Engl. (Asparagaceae) [Congdon et al., 2017; Kakamega, Kenya]. Phoenix reclinata Jacq. (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)]. Raphia farinifera (Gaertn.) Hyl. (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)]. Raphia monbuttorum Drude (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)].

ditissimus Mabille, 1891 (as sp. of Proteides). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 35: 112 (59-88, 106-121, 168-187). Sierra Leone.

basistriga Holland, 1893 (as sp. of Gangara?). Entomological News 5: 29 (26-31). Gabon: “Valley of the Ogové”.

robustus Mabille; Holland, 1896. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 85 (2-107). [Invalid; manuscript name introduced in synonymy.]

*Gamia shelleyi (Sharpe, 1890) Lesser Grand Skipper

Proteides shelleyi Sharpe, 1890. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (6) 6: 349 (346-350).

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Gamia shelleyi. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Obudu Plateau, eastern Nigeria. April 2007. Bred. SCC. ABRI-2019. Images M.C. Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Gamia shelleyi. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Nyangombe, Mwinilunga district, Zambia. 10 May 2007. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection.

Gamia shelleyi. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Obudu Plateau, eastern Nigeria. April 2007. Bred. SCC. ABRI-2019. Images M.C. Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Gamia shelleyi. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Lumangwe Forest, Northern Province, Zambia. May 2006. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection.

Type locality: [Ghana]: “Fantee”. Distribution: Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin (south), Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (west), Zambia, Angola (Mendes et al., 2013). Specific localities: Guinea – Nimbas (Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Fantee (TL); Kakum (Larsen, 2005a); Ankasa (Larsen, 2005a); Wli Falls (Larsen, 2005a); 4 Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007). Benin – Houeyogbe Forest (Coache & Rainon, 2016). Nigeria – Okomu (Larsen, 2005a); Agege (Larsen, 2005a); Olokemeji (Larsen, 2005a); Ikeja (Larsen, 2005a). Cameroon – Baliburg (Karsch, 1892). Gabon – Ogove Valley (Holland, 1891); Kangwe (Vande weghe, 2010); Iguela (Vande weghe, 2010); Waka (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Semuliki N.P. (Davenport & Howard, 1996); Entebbe (Falke). Kenya – Kabras (Larsen, 1991c); South Kavirondo (Larsen, 1991c); Kakamega Forest (Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Foot of Mahale Mountain (Kielland, 1990d); Lukoma River in Kigoma (Kielland, 1990d); Lubalizi in Kigoma (Kielland, 1990d); Ntakatta in Mpanda (Kielland, 1990d); Luntampa in Mpanda (Kielland, 1990d). Zambia – Ikelenge (Heath et al., 2002); Mpongwe (Heath et al., 2002). Angola – Kwanza Norte Province (Mendes et al., 2013). Habitat: Forest of good quality (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: This is a rare skipper that flies in dense forest undergrowth (Larsen, 2005a). In Tanzania at altitudes from 1 200 to 1 300 m (Kielland, 1990d). Early stages:

Cock et al., 2015. [larva (final instar) and pupa]

Larval food: Borassus species (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)]. Cocos species (Arecaceae) [Kielland, 1990d: 248; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)]. Dracaena arborea (Willd.) Link (Asparagaceae) [Cock et al., 2015]. Dracaena camerooniana Baker (Asparagaceae) [Cock et al., 2015]. Dracaena laxissima Engl. (Asparagaceae) [Cock et al., 2015]. Phoenix species (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)]. Raphia species (Arecaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 325; erroneous (Larsen, 2005a)].

galua Holland, 1891 (as sp. of Proteides). Entomological News 2: 3 (3-6). Gabon: “Valley of the Ogove”.

zintgraffi Karsch, 1892 (as sp. of Hesperia). Entomologische Nachrichten. Berlin 18: 178 (161-183). Cameroon: “Baliburg (Deutsch-Westafrika)”.

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