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ALAENA. By Dr. C. Atjrivillius. 
The sexes are usually similar, but sometimes very differently coloured and marked. The extremity 
of the abdomen in the A often shows a characteristic swelling and the $ genitalia are asymmetrically formed. 
The Lipteninae occur especially in the West African subregion and are entirely wanting in the Mada¬ 
gascar subregion. All the genera are peculiar to Africa. 
They are in general delicately built forms, often gaily coloured, and occasionally show distinct mimetic 
association with other butterflies. 
In some few genera there is a distinct precostal vein on the hindwing. As this vein is otherwise en¬ 
tirely absent in the Lycaenids its presence seems to me to be of such importance as to necessitate our divi¬ 
ding the Lipteninae into two groups. 
1. Group: Pentilini. 
Hindwing with a distinct precostal vein. The genera Cooksonia and Sheffieldia probably belong to this 
group. As, however, I have not been able to examine them and their author says nothing about the pre- 
costal vein, the position of these two genera must for the present remain uncertain. Veins 3 and 4 of the 
hindwing are always separate. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
I. Vein 6 of the forewing arises from the same point as the stalk of 7—9 or from this stalk and is separated 
from vein 5 by a vertical middle discocellular. Veins 6 and 7 of the hindwing stalked, from the same 
point or only very slightly separated. Palpus short with knobbed terminal joint. 
a. Frons and palpus with bristly hairs. 1 . Alaena. 
b. Frons and palpus with appressed scales. 2. Telipna. 
II. Vein 6 of the forewing is separated from the stalk of veins 7—9 by the well developed, very obliquely 
placed upper transverse vein (upper discocellular) and hence apparently arises from the apex of the cell. 
Veins 6 and 7 of the hindwing widely separated. 
a. Antenna rather long, almost reaching the apex of the cell of the forewing, which does not extend 
beyond the middle of the wing. 
*. Veins 5 and 6 of the forewing separate at their origin. 
1. Palpus moderate, with short terminal joint. Costal margin of the hindwing only feebly curved. 
3. Cooksonia. 
2. Palpus long, extending far beyond the frons, with the terminal joint almost cylindrical. Costal 
margin of the hindwing strongly lobed near the base or before the middle. 4. Durbania. 
**. Veins 5 and 6 of the forewing from the same point. Costal margin of the hindwing nearly straight. 
5. Sheffieldia. 
b. Antenna much shorter than the cell of the forewing, which is very long and extends far beyond the 
middle of the wing. 6. Pentila. 
1. Genus: Alaena Bdv. 
Small or rarely medium-sizedLipteninids with yellow or white ground-colour and black markings or black¬ 
ish with white spots. — Antenna with sharply defined, flattened club. Wings rounded; hindwing elongate and of¬ 
ten very narrow. The cells are short, not reaching the middle of the wings; veins 7—9 of the forewing are 
long-stalked and veins 10 and 11 quite free. Vein 5 arises on both wings somewhat nearer to 6 than to 4. 
— All the species belong to South and East Africa and on the west coast only extend as far as the Congo. 
They have a weak and sluggish flight. 
Synopsis of the Species. 
I. Wings above yellow or whitish with black-edged veins and black marginal bands, beneath without black 
transverse markings between the veins. A. amazoula. 
