176 p. e. s. whalley 



Material examined. 



Holotype <$ (misalis), Togo: in ZMB; Holotype 3 1 [palealides), Rhodesia: 

 Mashonaland, Salisbury, xi.igoo [Marshall), BM slide no. 9567, in BMNH. 



Democratic Republic of the Congo: 4 J, 1 $, Elisabethville, xii.1948, xiii. 

 1950, xi.1954 [Seydel); Uganda: i $, Nsongezi, Kagera River, x.1962 (Carcasson), 

 in NMK; 2 <$, Jinja, Mulange, iv.1922 (Dummer); Tanzania: i <$, Sorea, 3800 ft, 

 i.1933 [Johnston) ; 1 $, Nachingwea, iv.1961 [Bigger) ; Kenya: i £, Mt Elgon, v. 1934 

 [Jackson); 8 $, 1 $, Suna, S. Kavirondo, iii.1931-iii.1932 [Feather); 1 <J, Jacaranda 

 Res. Station, Ruiru, iv.1960; 1 <$, Kilimanjaro, versant sud-est, Neu-Moshi, 800 m, 

 zone inferieure, iv.1912 [Alluaud & Jeanne), in MNHN; Ethiopia: i $, Alaba- 

 Kambata, iv.1925 [Neumann); Zambia: i <$, Abercorn, xi.1963 [Vesey '-Fitzgerald) 

 in NMK; Rhodesia: 1 <3\ 1 $, Khami, nr Bulawayo, xii.1955-xi.1956, in NMR 

 1 <$, Sebakwe, ii.1902 [Dods); 2 <$, Emangeni, i.1918 [Janse); 1 <3\ 1 $, Bulawayo 

 1-2.xii.1919 [Janse), in TMP; 1 $, Umtali Distr., 31.xii.1928 [Shepherd), in TMP 

 Angola: 1^,1$, Upper Cubango-Cunene watershed, 5500 ft, x.1928 [Bams) 

 South Africa: i <$, Limburg, Potgietersrus Distr., Tvl., 12.xii.1963 [Vari), in TMP 

 1 <J, Griffin Mine, i.1915 [Breijer), in TMP. 



CECID O TH YR IS Auri villius 



Cecidothyris Aurivillius, 1910 : 159. Type-species, Cecidothyris guttulata Aurivillius, by 



monotypy. 

 [Oxycophina sensu Gaede, 1917 : 359, nee Warren.] 

 [Oxycophina sensu Gaede, 1929 : 494, nee Warren.] 



Cecidothyris Aurivillius; Whalley, 1964a : 115. 



Although this genus has previously been synonymized with Oxycophina Warren, 

 the two genera are quite distinct. Cecidothyris is characterized by the fusion of the 

 third and second segments of the labial palps and by the presence of only one pair of 

 tibial spurs. Oxycophina is more typical of most thyridid genera in having a three- 

 segmented labial palp and two pairs of tibial spurs. 



This genus is clearly separated from all the other African genera of Thyrididae 

 by the fusion of two segments of the labial palps. The genitalia of the males of all 

 the species are rather similar, with only C. tyrannica having a prominent process on 

 the middle of the gnathus. The veins in the fore wing of specimens of C. pexa 

 differ in the origin of R 3 and R A which may be shortly stalked or arise from the cell 

 and other variations in the origin of the radial veins have been found. Apart from 

 the characters mentioned before, C. parobifera has a bifid tarsal claw, a character 

 which is unique amongst the African Thyrididae although common in many families 

 of Rhopalocera. 



Cecidothyris does not seem to have any close relationship with the other African 

 genera and its relationship with the Indo-Australian genera is not known. The 

 genus, which contains six species, is peculiar to Africa where it extends over 

 the whole continent south of Sahara, but does not occur in Madagascar. Most of the 

 species occur in west and central Africa with only one subspecies of C. pexa extending 

 into southern Africa. 



