Liptena durbania durbania Bethune-Baker, 1915

Liptena durbania durbania Bethune-Baker, 1915 View in CoL ( Figs View Figures 9–21 9–13)

Liptena durbania Bethune-Baker, 1915 . – Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera from Africa and the East. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 8 (16): 189 (male, Cameroon; not illustrated).

= Liptena rectifascia Hawker-Smith, 1933 ; type in NHM (male Bitje, Cameroon).

The underside of L. durbania is variable enough for Hawker-Smith to believe in the existence of a distinct species, which he described as rectifascia and whose type-locality is the same as that of L. durbania (Bitje, central Cameroon); because of this variability, one can say that the underside is similar in the three subspecies of L. durbania . The upper side of the nominate subspecies is also variable [ Fig. 12 View Figures 9–21 shows that of a very peculiar male from Cameroon (Ebogo, ABRI)], but subspecies eukrinoides is distinguished by a more extensive orange area on the forewing upper side in most specimens. The difference is not considerable, and is even very small in some specimens from Kivu. There is no sexual dimorphism.

Holotype: male, Bitje , Ja River, Cameroons, 2000ft, ix– x.1912; NHM.

Distribution:

Most specimens of L. durbania were collected in Cameroon, particularly in the center-south (around Yaoundé and the type-locality), but it has been observed as far south as the border with Gabon (Maan, Mintom) and as far north as the vicinity of Foumban (Koutaba, where the barcoded male was captured); the majority of the specimens are in the ABRI collection.

It seems rare in Gabon (Vande weghe, 2010: 248 only mentions one locality, Kinguele, in the Monts de Cristal); in the Congo, about ten specimens were collected in several northwestern localities (Etoumbi, Kelle, Mambili, Sembe; NHM and NMK), three others in the north (Bomassa Nouabale-Ndoki park; ANHRT), as well as a male in the southwest, in Dimonika, which marks the southern limit of its range (Stempffer, 1965: 1454; MNHN). It is also present in the west of the DRC (Lukolela; ABRI), and in the CAR, where some twenty specimens have been collected around Bangui ( ABRI), the eastern limit of its distribution.

Genitalia:

Stempffer et al. illustrated male genitalia of indeterminate origin (1974, Fig. 48), so the genitalia of a male from Cameroon are illustrated here ( Figs 2 View Figures 2 –5). The uncus is deeply notched (Fig. 5), with subunci long, thin and curved strongly in the middle; with a subscaphium visible ( Fig. 2 View Figures 2 ). The valves are characteristic; they bear three ornamentations, a short dorsal point, a long distal plate whose extremity is divided into two small points and a fine ventral point, turned towards the interior of the valves ( Fig. 2 View Figures 2 ), better visible in ventral view (Fig. 4). The penis is just as characteristic: it is strongly twisted to the right (the lateral view of Fig. 2 View Figures 2 thus shows its extremity, which is also deeply indented), very curved towards the middle and its base is strongly swollen and wide open ( Figs 2 View Figures 2 , 3). The fultura is extremely short, and the penis seems to rest on top of the sacculus, from which it is risky to separate it. The coremata are of medium size; they were removed to make the drawings.

A female from Cameroon was also dissected for comparison with a female from Kivu; the illustration of the genitalia turned out to be difficult to understand, and they are briefly described. The sinus vaginalis forms a cavity with well sclerified walls, easily identifiable at the level of sternite 7 after removal of the scales that cover the abdomen; this cavity, wide open to the outside, is bordered on either side by two large lateral plates, of a more membranous aspect. At the back of the sinus, the ostium bursae opens onto a ductus bursae folded over the sinus and strongly sclerified over approximately half of its circumference; a rather short bursa prolongs the ductus.