AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 13 January 2021 Genus Osmodes Holland, 1892 White-spots Annals and Magazine of Natural History (6) 10: 291 et nota (284-294). Type-species: Hesperia laronia Hewitson, by original designation. The genus Osmodes 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, Tsitana, Parosmodes, Osphantes, Acleros, Paracleros, Semalea, Hypoleucis, Paronymus, Andronymus, Malaza, Perrotia, Ploetzia, Moltena, Chondrolepis, Zophopetes, Gamia, Artitropa, Mopala, Pteroteinon, Leona, Caenides, Monza, Melphina, Melphinyet, Noctulana, Fresna, and Platylesches. Osmodes (White-spots) is an Afrotropical genus of 14 species. Revised by Miller (1964 and 1971). Species belonging to this genus are all inhabitants of primary lowland forest. In this habitat they are most often seen flying along forest paths, or in clearings in the forest. The flight is rapid but low down, among the vegetation, and they usually settle in sunny spots (Congdon & Collins, 1998). *Osmodes adon (Mabille, 1889) Scarce White-spots Pamphila adon Mabille, 1889. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France (6) 9: 149 (149-150, 155-156, 167-169, 183- 184). Osmodes adon. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Waka N.P., Gabon. April 2007. v.d. Weghe. ABRI-2019-2455. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Type locality: Sierra Leone: “Sierra-Leone”. Distribution: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Guinea – Seredou (H. Warren-Gash, vide Larsen, 2005a). Liberia – Wologizi (Safian et al., 2020). Ivory Coast – Mount Peko (H. Warren-Gash, vide Larsen, 2005a); Yapo forest (Cock et al., 2016). 1 Ghana – Likpe (Miller, 1971); Kumasi (Larsen, 2005a); Kukurantumi (Larsen, 2005a); Atewa Range (Larsen, 2005a); Kakum (Larsen, 2005a); Wli Falls (Larsen, 2005a). Nigeria – Gambari (Larsen, 2005a); Olokemeji (Larsen, 2005a); Kabba province (Larsen, 2005a); Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Cameroon – Barombi (Neustetter, 1916); Bitje, Ja River (Evans, 1951). Gabon – Waka National Park (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Paulis (Larsen, 2005a); Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018). Habitat: Forest in good condition (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: This is a rare Osmodes (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Cock et al., 2016: 230 Larval food: Sarcophrynium brachystachys (Benth.) K. Schum. (Marantaceae) [Cock et al., 2016; Ivory Coast]. barombina Neustetter, 1916 (as sp. of Osmodes). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris 30: 106 (95- 108). Cameroon: “Barombi, Kamerun”. noda Evans, 1951 (as ssp. of Osmodes adon). Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12) 4: 1272 (1268-1272). Cameroons: “Cameroons, Bitje River”. maesseni Miller, 1971 (as sp. of Osmodes). Bulletin of the Allyn Museum (2): 6 (17 pp.). Ghana: “Likpe”. Synonymized with Osmodes adon (Mabille, 1890) by Larsen, 2005a: 507, syn. nov. *Osmodes adonia Evans, 1937 Four White-spots Osmodes adon adonia Evans, 1937. A catalogue of the African Hesperiidae indicating the classification and nomenclature adopted in the British Museum: 113 (212 pp.). Osmodes adonia Evans, 1937. Miller, 1964. Osmodes adonia. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Mpanga Forest, Uganda. 3 July 2015. J. Dobson. Images M.C.Williams ex Dobson Collection. Type locality: [Uganda]: “Entebbe forest, 3,800 ft”. Distribution: Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda (west), Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Nigeria – Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Cameroon – Korup (M. Bechem, vide Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Lope National Park (Vande weghe, 2010); Mikongo (Vande weghe, 2010); Waka National Park (Vande weghe, 2010); Camp Lonmin near Kinguele (Vande weghe, 2010); Nouna (Vande weghe, 2010); Kangwe (Vande weghe, 2010). 2 Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Central Forest Block (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Entebbe (TL); Mpanga Forest (Safian & Pyrcz, 2020). Tanzania – Minziro Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998); Munene Forest (rare) (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Forest in good condition (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: A scarce skipper throughout its range (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Osmodes adonides Miller, 1971 Western Four White-spots Osmodes adonides Miller, 1971. Bulletin of the Allyn Museum (2): 6 (17 pp.). Osmodes adonides. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Nyong River, Ebogo, Cameroon. July 1996. ABRI-2019-2453. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Osmodes adonides. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Apemedi, Ghana. December 2004. RV, SY. ABRI-2019-2454. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Type locality: Gabon: “Kangwé, Ogové R.”. Distribution: Gabon. Specific localities: Gabon – Ogove River, Kangwe (TL). Known only from the type locality. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. 3 *Osmodes adosus (Mabille, 1889) Sierra Leone White-spots Pamphila adosus Mabille, 1889. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France (6) 9: 149 (149-150, 155-156, 167-169, 183- 184). Osmodes adosus. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Libreville, Gabon. 17 November 2017. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson Collection. Type locality: Sierra Leone: “Sierra-Leone”. Distribution: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Gabon – Kangwe (Vande weghe, 2010); Ipassa, Ivindo National Park (Vande weghe, 2010); Nouna (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Kimuenza (Aurivillius, 1925); Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Semuliki Valley (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Uganda – Entebbe (Safian & Pyrcz, 2020); Mpanga Forest (Safian & Pyrcz, 2020). Tanzania – Kere Hill, Minziro Forest (Congdon & Collins, 1998); Munene Forest (uncommon) (Congdon & Collins, 1998). Habitat: Forest in good condition. Habits: An apparently scarce skipper species (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Marantochloa leucantha (K. Schum.) Milne-Redh. (Marantaceae) [Le Pelley, 1959; Uganda; this record may refer to Osmodes lindseyi according to Larsen, 2005a]. argenteipuncta Mabille; Holland, 1896 (as sp. of Pamphila). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 41 (2-107). [Invalid; manuscript name introduced in synonymy.] argenteigutta Holland, 1896 (as sp. of Osmodes). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 42 (2-107). [Nomen nudum] schultzei Aurivillius, 1925 (as sp. of Osmodes). Ergebnisse der Zweiten Deutschen Zentral-Afrika- Expedition 1 (18): 1250 (1243-1359). [Democratic Republic of Congo]: “Belg. Kongo; Kimuenza”. *Osmodes banghaasii Holland, 1896 Congo White-spots Osmodes banghaasii Holland, 1896. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 42 (2-107). 4 Osmodes banghaasii. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Calabar, eastern Nigeria. November 1995. PW. ABRI-2019-2440. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Osmodes banghaasii. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Tana Ofin, western Ghana. January 2011. ABRI Leg. ABRI-2019-2441. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Type locality: Congo: “French Congo”. Distribution: Ghana, Congo, Central African Republic, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Ghana – Tano Ofin (Larsen, 2005a); Atewa Range (Maessen, vide Larsen, 2005a); Ankasa (Larsen, 2005a); Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007). Habitat: Wetter forest in good condition (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: This is one of the rarest Afrotropical skippers (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. *Osmodes costatus Aurivillius, 1896 Black-veined White-spots Osmodes costatus Aurivillius, 1896. Entomologisk Tidskrift 17: 284 (279-291). 5 Osmodes costatus. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Nyong River, Ebogo, Cameroon. June 2000. SCC. ABRI-2019-2442. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Osmodes costatus. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Yakoli, Central African Republic. July 1996. SCC. ABRI-2019-2443. Images M.C.Williams ex ABRI Collection. Type locality: Cameroon: “Itoki”. Holotype in the Swedish Natural History Museum (images available at www2.nrm.se/en/lep_nrm/c). Distribution: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania (north-west). Specific localities: Guinea – Nzerekore (Larsen, 2005a); Ziama (Safian et al., 2020). Liberia – Wologizi (Safian et al., 2020). Sierra Leone – Loma Mountains (Larsen, 2005a). Ivory Coast – Bingerville (Larsen, 2005a); Tai National Park (Larsen, 2005a); Mount Peko (Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Atewa Range (Larsen, 2005a); Kakum (Larsen, 2005a); Bia (Larsen, 2005a); Tano Ofin (Larsen, 2005a); Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007). Nigeria – Agege (Larsen, 2005a); Gambari (Larsen, 2005a); Benin (Larsen, 2005a); Sapoba (Larsen, 2005a); Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Cameroon – Itoki (TL). Gabon – Waka National Park (Vande weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Makala