136 P. E. S. WHALLEY 



Cornuterus palairantus (Bethune-Baker) comb. n. 



(PI. 16, fig. 81 ; PI. 40, fig. 221) 



Rhodoneura palairanta Bethune-Baker, 1911 : 542. 

 Rhodoneura palairanta Bethune-Baker; Dalle Torre, 1914 : 30. 

 Rhodoneura palairanta Bethune-Baker; Gaede, 1917 : 365. 

 Rhodoneura palairanta Bethune-Baker; Gaede, 1929 : 492. 



o*. Wing, 14-5 mm. Head missing from holotype. Thorax badly damaged, only one fore 

 leg present. Tarsi of fore leg each with pair of spines. Fore wing, pattern as in PI. 16, fig. 81, 

 brown with darker brown reticulations. Costal and terminal margins black, a faint white 

 mark on costal margin. Fringe brown. Underside paler with slightly translucent appearance. 

 R t and i? 5 shortly stalked. Hind wing, pattern and colour as fore wing. Sc +R X and Rs free. 



Genitalia <J (PL 40, fig. 221). Uncus simple, long and slender. Gnathus absent. Sub- 

 scaphium lightly sclerotized. Valves simple with prominent median process. Juxta a large 

 flat plate. Transtilla well developed. Aedeagus with spiny manica and a few spines in vesica. 



$. Unknown. 



Discussion. The holotype is badly damaged but sufficient remains of this 

 specimen to provide problems for its generic position. The structure of the juxta 

 is different from most other African Thyrididae, with the broad plate lacking the 

 lateral arms which are characteristic of most other species. However, this type of 

 juxta is also found in nigropunchdus and for this reason palairantus is placed ten- 

 tatively in the same genus. It is possible that the abdomen might not be the 

 original one but no trace of it having been refixed was found. No other specimens 

 have been found to match this species. If the abdomen is the original, then on the 

 characters available, this species will probably need a new genus. The presence of 

 tarsal spines is unusual and is another reason why the present position is only 

 regarded as tentative. 



Distribution. Map 52. Nigeria. 



Material examined. 



Holotype <J, Nigeria: 100 ml north of Lokoja (Cator), BM slide no. 9623, in 

 BMNH. 



BUPOTA gen. n. 



Type-species, Bupota tranquilla sp. n. 



This genus includes two species, one of which is separated into two subspecies. 

 This species, B. tranquilla, has distinct male genitalia and is clearly separate from 

 the other species, B. galbana. The latter species is very pale coloured and almost 

 without the typical reticulate pattern. The genus is similar to Collinsa in the reduc- 

 tion of the hind tibial spur but differs in the ciliation of the antennae of the male and 

 the shape of the genitalia. Bupota is also close to Kalenga in the shape of the wing 

 and the ciliation of the antennae but the latter genus lacks the fusion of the radial 

 veins of the fore wing. At present the genus Bupota is known only from Africa 

 where it occurs in central and southern Africa. It is one of the few genera whose 

 species are found in the extreme south of the continent. 



Generic description. Eyes without interfacetal hairs. Antennae ciliate in male, minutely 

 ciliate in female. Labial palps 3-segmented, short. Proboscis present, often reduced. Fore 



