AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 30 December 2020. Genus Micropentila Aurivillius, 1895 Dots Entomologisk Tidskrift 16: 202 (195-220, 255-268). Type-species: Liptena adelgitha Hewitson, by original designation. The genus Micropentila 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, Pseuderesia, Eresina, Eresiomera, Parasiomera, Citrinophila, Argyrocheila, Teriomima, Euthecta, Baliochila, Cnodontes, Congdonia, Eresinopsides, Toxochitona, Mimacraea and Mimeresia. Micropentila (Dots) is a purely Afrotropical genus comprising 34 species. The genus is largely confined to the central African rainforest zone. The genus was monographed by Stempffer & Bennett (1965) who described 16 new species. Most species are closely tied to ‘ant-trees’, two or three specimens often flying quite rapidly in the vicinity of such an ant-nest. They prefer to settle on bare twigs (Larsen, 1991c). Some Ugandan members of the genus were regularly taken at specific ‘ant-trees’ over a number of years but have not been seen since their ‘ant- trees’ were cut down (Larsen, 2005a). Most species fly low down but a few fly just below the forest canopy (Jackson, vide Stempffer, 1965). The females of some species have been observed ovipositing on twigs and tree-trunks in the presence of Crematogaster ants (Larsen, 2005a). *Micropentila adelgitha (Hewitson, 1874) Common Dots Male Common Dots feeding on a tendril shoot. Cameroon, May 2019. Image courtesy Jeremy Dobson. Liptena adelgitha Hewitson, 1874. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 11: 36 (36). Micropentila adelgitha Hewitson, 1874. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. Type locality: Gabon: “Gaboon”. Distribution: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin (south), Nigeria (south and Cross River loop), Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (Ituri). Stempffer (1956) recorded it from Liberia but there is uncertainty in regard to this record (Larsen, 2005a). 1 Specific localities: Ivory Coast – Assinie (Mabille, 1890). Ghana – Ankasa National Park (Larsen, 2005a); Obudu Plateau (J. Wojtusiak, vide Larsen, 2005a). Benin – see Coache et al., 2017. Gabon – Safala (Vande Weghe, 2010); Mondah (Vande Weghe, 2010); Nyonie (Vande Weghe, 2010); Mboumie (Vande Weghe, 2010); Lope N.P. (zone SEGC and Mikongo) (Vande Weghe, 2010); Ipassa (Vande Weghe, 2010); Langoue (Vande Weghe, 2010); Kongou (Vande Weghe, 2010); camp Nouna (Vande Weghe, 2010); Bakouaka (Vande Weghe, 2010); Waka (Vande Weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Semuliki Valley (Ducarme, 2018); Central Forest Block (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Habitat: Primary forest. Habits: The only relatively common member of the genus, most often encountered while feeding from extrafloral nectaries of Marantaceae. Here they are found as singles or in small groups, often together with other poriitines, especially Liptena simplicia and Eresiomera bicolor (Larsen, 2005a). It is evenly distributed through its forest habitat, possibly not being tied to specific ‘ant-trees’ (Larsen, 2005a). The flight is fast but they rarely fly spontaneously and they most often occur between one and two metres above ground level (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. moneta Mabille, 1890 (as sp. of Lycaena). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (6) 10: 23 (17-51). Ivory Coast: “Assinie”. *Micropentila adelgunda (Staudinger, 1892) Large Dots Teriomima adelgunda Staudinger, 1892. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris 4: 219 (215-223). Micropentila adelgunda Staudinger, 1892. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. Type locality: Gabon: “Ogowe”; Cameroon: “Barombi-Station (Hinterland von Kamerun)”. Distribution: Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, ?Gabon, ?Democratic Republic of Congo (single record for Kinshasa). Stempffer & Bennett (1956) recorded it from Liberia but later classified this material as Micropentila dorothea (Stempffer & Bennett, 1965). Larsen (2005a) suspects that material from Gabon and the Kinshasa record refer to other taxa. Specific localities: Ghana – Bia National Park (Larsen, 2005a; single specimen); Likpe (Maessen, vide Larsen, 2005a; a male and two females). Nigeria – Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a; single male). Cameroon – Barombi Station (Staudinger, 1892). Gabon – Ogowe (TL). Democratic Republic of Congo – Kinshasa. Habitat: Primary forest. Habits: A rare butterfly about which little is known (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Micropentila alberta (Staudinger, 1892) Teriomima alberta Staudinger, 1892. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris 4: 220 (215-223). Micropentila alberta Staudinger, 1892. d’Abrera, 2009: 658. Type locality: Gabon: “Ogowe (Gabun)”. Distribution: Gabon, Congo. 2 Specific localities: Gabon – Ogowe (TL); Mpassa, Bateke Plateau (Vande Weghe, 2010). Habitat: Primary forest. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Micropentila bakotae Stempffer & Bennett, 1965 Micropentila bakotae Stempffer & Bennett, 1965. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 15: 416 (397-434). Micropentila bakotae Stempffer & Bennett, 1965. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. Type locality: Congo: “Republic of Congo, Sembe, Souanke”. Distribution: Congo. Specific localities: Congo – Sembe, Souanke (TL). Habitat: Primary forest. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Micropentila bitjeana Stempffer & Bennett, 1965 Micropentila bitjeana Stempffer & Bennett, 1965. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 15: 407 (397-434). Micropentila bitjeana Stempffer & Bennett, 1965. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. Type locality: Cameroon: “S. Cameroons, Bitje, Ja River”. Distribution: Cameroon, Gabon. Specific localities: Cameroon – Bitje, Ja River (TL). Gabon – Ndougou (Vande Weghe, 2010); Ipassa (Vande Weghe, 2010). Habitat: Primary forest. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. Note: D’Abrera (2009: 656) suggests that Micropentila bitjeana Stempffer & Bennett, 1965 may be a synonym of Micropentila dorothea Bethune-Baker, 1903, makes no formal taxonomic changes and includes it in his book as a valid species. *Micropentila brunnea (Kirby, 1887) Brown Dots Lucia (?) brunnea Kirby, 1887. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (5) 19: 368 (360-369). Micropentila brunnea Kirby, 1887. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. 3 Micropentila brunnea brunnea. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Petit Savanna, Cameroon. 4 May 2019. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson collection. Type locality: “West Africa ?”. Distribution: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo. Habitat: Primary forest. Habits: Apparently very rare west of the Dahomey Gap, becoming commoner in eastern Nigeria. Well distributed within forest (not tied to ‘ant-trees’) and usually encountered in ones and twos, flying low down and perching on dry twigs (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. Micropentila brunnea brunnea (Kirby, 1887) Lucia (?) brunnea Kirby, 1887. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (5) 19: 368 (360-369). Micropentila brunnea brunnea Kirby, 1887. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. Micropentila brunnea brunnea. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Petit Savanna, Cameroon. 4 May 2019. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson collection. Type locality: “West Africa?”. Distribution: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria (south and Cross River loop), Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (Island of Bioko). Specific localities: Guinea – Ziama (Safian et al., 2020). Sierra Leone – Loma Mountains (Larsen, 2005a). Liberia – Wologizi (Safian et al., 2020). Ivory Coast – Tai (Larsen, 2005a); Issia (Larsen, 2005a); Banco (Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Prah-Suhien (Larsen, 2005a); Ankasa (Larsen, 2005a); Atewa Range (Larsen, 2005a). Nigeria – Omo (Larsen, 2005a); Okomu (Larsen, 2005a); Sapoba (Larsen, 2005a); Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Cameroon – Korup (Larsen, 2005a). Micropentila brunnea centralis Bennett, 1966 Micropentila brunnea centralis Bennett, 1966. Entomologist 99: 186 (186). Micropentila brunnea centralis Bennett, 1966. d’Abrera, 2009: 656. Type locality: Congo: “Moyen Congo, Kelle”. Distribution: Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (Ituri, North Kivu, Sankuru, Lualaba). 4 Specific localities: Congo – Kelle (TL). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). *Micropentila bunyoro Stempffer & Bennett, 1965 Micropentila bunyoro Stempffer & Bennett, 1965. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 15: 432 (397-434). Micropentila bunyoro Stempffer & Bennett, 1965. d’Abrera, 2009: 658. Type locality: Uganda: “Unyoro, Budongo Forest”. Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo (North Kivu), Uganda, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Unyoro, Budongo Forest (TL). Tanzania – Kere Hill, Minziro Forest (single record) (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Primary forest. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Micropentila catocala Strand, 1914 Micropentila catocala Strand, 1914. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 80 (A.2.): 155 (139-161).