GENERA OF AFRICAN LYCAENIDAE 245 



The male genitalia of all the species examined, except liberiana, closely resemble 

 those of punclatus, the slight differentiating specific characters being found in varia- 

 tions in the shape of the apex of the valves. In 0. liberiana, (fig., Stempffer, 1950, 

 Bull. Inst. jr. Afr. noire 12 : 406) the dorsal structures are very characteristic ; 

 tegumen very wide with only a small rounded median notch, the uncus a narrow 

 strip bordering the posterior edge of the tegumen and interrupted at the notch, 

 subunci long, bent, very robust. But the vinculum, lower fultura, valves and penis 

 are of the type common to the other species of Oboronia. 



The larva of 0. punclatus has been described by Poulton (1911, Proc. ent. Soc. 

 Loud. 1911 : ci) and by Lamborn (1913, Trans, ent. Soc. Lond'. 46 : 489). It lives in 

 the flowers of Costus afer and ants of the genus Pheidole construct shelters over them 

 from plant debris. 



List of Species of Oboronia 



*Oboronia albicosta (Gacde), 1915. 



*Oboronia bueronica Karsch, 1895. Fig. Aurivillius in Seitz, 1925. 



Oboronia clorea (Staudinger), see punclatus. 

 *Oboronia gussfeldti (Dewitz), 1879. 

 *Oboronia liberiana Stempffer, 1950, Bull. Inst. Jr. Afr. noire 12 : 405, fig. and 



fig. genitalia. 

 *Oboronia pseudopunctatus Strand, 1912. 

 * Oboronia punctatus punctatus (Dewitz), 1879. 



elorea (Staudinger) nee Fabricius ; staudingeri Hemming, i960. 

 *Oboronia punctatus arctimargo Hulstaert, 1924, Revue zool. afr. 12 : 143. 

 *Oboronia punctatus jacksoni Stempffer, 1943, Ann. Soc. ent. Fr. 1942 : 132. 



Oboronia staudingeri Hemming, see punctatus. 



Genus ATHYSANOTA Karsch 



Athvsanota Karsch, 1895, Ent. Nachr. 21 : 297. Type-species : Lycaena ornata Mabille, by 



monotypy. 

 Cupido Schrank (partim) ; Aurivillius, 1898 : 381 ; 1925 : 494. 



Eyes smooth ; palpi long, ascending, second segment long, laterally compressed, clothed 

 below with long erect scales, which are white at the base and black at the apex, third segment 

 slender, cylindrical, acuminate ; antennae slender, about half the length of the costa, club very 

 elongate, not well differentiated, apex pointed ; thorax clothed below with white hair ; $ fore 

 leg, tibia much shorter than the femur, tarsus unsegmented, finely spinose below. 



Wing shape. Fore wing subtriangular, costa and outer margin strongly convex, hind wing 

 oval, no tail. 



Wing venation (Text-fig. 338). Fore wing with 11 veins. 



Male genitalia (Text-fig. 211). Uncus composed of two small subquadrangular lobes fused 

 to the lateral angles of the tegumen ; subunci very long, slender, bent about one-third from 

 origin, apex ending as a shallow hook ; tegumen with a rounded depression in its posterior 

 margin, vinculum rather broad ; lower fultura comprising two small divergent arms fused to 

 an anellus that sheathes the penis ; valves digitate, a little dilated in the middle, lower process 



