AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 29 December 2020. Genus Eresina Aurivillius, [1899] Tree Buffs In: Aurivillius, [1898-9]. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapakademiens Handlingar 31 (5): 253, 282 (1- 561). Type-species: Durbania corynetes Grose-Smith & Kirby, by original designation. The genus Eresina belongs to the Family Lycaenidae Leach, 1815; Subfamily Poritiinae Doherty, 1886; Tribe Liptenini Röber, 1892. The other genera in the Tribe Liptenini in the Afrotropical Region are Liptena, Obania, Kakumia, Tetrarhanis, Falcuna, Larinopoda, Micropentila, Pseuderesia, Eresiomera, Parasiomera, Citrinophila, Argyrocheila, Teriomima, Euthecta, Baliochila, Cnodontes, Congdonia, Eresinopsides, Toxochitona, Mimacraea and Mimeresia. Eresina (Tree Buffs) is a purely Afrotropical genus containing 20 species. Colonies of species belonging to this forest-genus are usually strongly associated with specific tall forest trees containing nests of species of cocktail (Crematogaster) ants. The ant nests are often high up, in the forest canopy (Larsen, 1991c). Specimens fly high up, never much more than half a metre from the tree trunk, in the vicinity of the hanging ant nests, with a rapid fluttering flight. They spend long periods on the wing but rest on the tree trunks or on vines if the sun is obscured by clouds. Particular ant-trees may be frequented for years on end. Despite their presumed sedentary nature many species have a vast distributional range, from West Africa to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda (Collins & Larsen, in Larsen, 2005a). The various species can be told apart when compared as series but single specimens require genitalic dissection in order to be identified. They appear to be associated with more open forest and some species, at least, are more active shortly after dawn (06h00 to 07h30). *Eresina bergeri Stempffer, 1956 Eresina bergeri Stempffer, 1956. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge (8) (Sciences zoologique) 49: 12 (54 pp.). Eresina bergeri Stempffer, 1956. d’Abrera, 2009: 642. Type locality: [Democratic Republic of Congo]: “Kapanga, Lualaba”. Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo (Lualaba), Congo ?, Uganda, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Democratic Republic of Congo – Kapanga, Lualaba (TL); Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Tanzania – Kere Hill and Bulembe in Minziro Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998); Kikuru Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina bilinea Talbot, 1935 Eresina bilinea Talbot, 1935. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 71: 73 (69-78, 115-127, 147-153). Eresina bilinea Talbot, 1935. d’Abrera, 2009: 642. 1 Eresina bilinea. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Zambezi Rapids, Ikelenge, Zambia. 29 March 2007. A. Gardiner. Images M. Williams ex Gardiner Collection. Eresina bilinea. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Zambezi Rapids, Ikelenge, Zambia. 17 April 2002. A. Gardiner. Images M. Williams ex Gardiner Collection. Type locality: [Kenya]: “Kavirondo, Kakamega”. Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo (north-east), Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (north- west), Zambia. Specific localities: Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Blue (Ducarme, 2018). Kenya – Kakamega Forest (TL). Tanzania – Kere Hill, Minziro Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Zambia – Ikelenge (Heath et al., 2002); Lisombo Stream, Mwinilunga (male illustrated above). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. This appears to be a very scarce butterfly (Larsen, 1991c). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina conradti Stempffer, 1956 Eresina conradti Stempffer, 1956. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge (8) (Sciences zoologique) 49: 27 (54 pp.). Eresina conradti Stempffer, 1956. d’Abrera, 2009: 642. Type locality: Cameroon: “Johann Albrechts, Hôhe Station”. Distribution: Cameroon, Uganda, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Cameroon – Johann Albrechts, Hôhe Station (TL). Tanzania – Kere Hill in Minziro Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998); Kikuru Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998); Rumanyika Game Reserve (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: Unlike most species of the genus it can be found away from tree trunks, often close to the ground in darker parts of the forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998). 2 Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina cornucopiae (Holland, 1892) Durbania cornucopiae Holland, 1892. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (6) 10: 285 (284-294). Pseuderesia cornucopiae (Holland, 1892). Aurivillius, in Seitz, 1908-1925. Eresiomera cornucopiae (Holland, 1892). Ackery et al., 1995. Eresina cornucopiae (Holland, 1892). Collins & Larsen, 2008: 48, comb. nov. Eresina cornucopiae Holland, 1892. d’Abrera, 2009: 642. The female upperside (left) and underside (right) of the type of Eresiomera cornucopiae in the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh. Image courtesy Torben Larsen. Type locality: Gabon: “Upper valley of the Ogové (Ogowé)”. Distribution: Gabon. Specific localities: Gabon – upper valley of the Ogove River (TL). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina corynetes (Grose-Smith & Kirby, [1890]) Durbania (?) corynetes Grose-Smith & Kirby, [1890]. In Grose-Smith & Kirby, [1887-92]. Rhopalocera exotica, being illustrations of new, rare and unfigured species of butterflies 1: 47 (183 pp.). London. Eresina corynetes Grose-Smith & Kirby, 1890. d’Abrera, 2009: 641. Type locality: Cameroon: “Barombi, Cameroons”. General remarks: Known only from two males (Collins & Larsen, in Larsen, 2005a). Distribution: Cameroon (west), Gabon (Collins & Larsen, in Larsen, 2005a). Specific localities: Cameroon – Barombi (TL). Gabon – Ogowe (Vande weghe, 2010). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina crola Talbot, 1935 Eresina crola Talbot, 1935. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 71: 73 (69-78, 115-127, 147-153). Eresina crola Talbot, 1935. d’Abrera, 2009: 643. 3 Type locality: Uganda: “S.W. Uganda: Kigezi district. In forest strip near mouth of Ntungwe River, Lake Edward”. Distribution: Uganda, Kenya (west). Specific localities: Uganda – Ntungwe River mouth, Kigezi (TL). Kenya – South Kavironda (a manuscript record by Van Someren, vide Larsen, 1991c). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina fontainei Stempffer, 1956 Fontaine’s Eresina Eresina fontainei Stempffer, 1956. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge (8) (Sciences zoologique) 49: 18 (54 pp.). Eresina fontainei Stempffer, 1956. d’Abrera, 2009: 642. Type locality: [Democratic Republic of Congo]: “Katako Kombe, Sankuru, Congo Belge”. Distribution: Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, ?Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (Sankuru), Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (north-west). Larsen (2005a) states that the species may not even be West African, since material from this region has not been positively identified. Specific localities: Democratic Republic of Congo – Katako Kombe, Sankuru (TL). Tanzania – Kere Hill, in Minziro Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. This is a scarce and local butterfly (Larsen, 1991c). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina fusca (Cator, 1904) Cator’s Eresina Pseuderesia fusca Cator, 1904. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (7) 13: 75 (73-76). Eresina fusca Cator, 1904. d’Abrera, 2009: 642. Type locality: Sierra Leone: “Sierra Leone”. Distribution: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, ?Nigeria. The Nigerian record is based on Knoop but may refer to Eresina pseudofusca (Larsen, 2005a). Specific localities: Liberia – Wologizi (Safian et al., 2020). Ivory Coast – Banco (Larsen, 2005a); Tai (Larsen, 2005a); Alepe (Larsen, 2005a). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina jacksoni Stempffer, 1961 Jackson’s Eresina Eresina jacksoni Stempffer, 1961. Annales Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale (8) 94: 48 (73 pp.). Eresina jacksoni Stempffer, 1961. d’Abrera, 2009: 643. 4 Type locality: Uganda: “Toro, Mpanga Forest”. Distribution: Sierra Leone (Stempffer, 1961), Ivory Coast (Warren-Gash), Nigeria (south and east), Cameroon, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya (west). Specific localities: Ivory Coast – Banco (Warren-Gash). Cameroon – Korup (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Mikongo, Lope N.P. (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Mpanga Forest, Toro (TL). Habitat: Dense, primary forest. Habits: See remarks under the genus, above. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Eresina katangana Stempffer, 1956 Eresina katangana Stempffer, 1956. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge (8) (Sciences zoologique) 49: 15 (54 pp.). Eresina katangana Stempffer, 1956. d’Abrera, 2009: 644. Eresina katangana. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Zambezi Rapids, Ikelenge, Zambia. 18 April 2002. A. Gardiner. Images M. Williams ex Gardiner Collection. Eresina katangana. Female. Left –