Liptena homeyeri bimacula, Libert, 2022

Liptena homeyeri bimacula ssp. nov. (Figs 4, 5)

Liptena homeyeri homeyeri Dewitz, 1884 View in CoL , s. Stempffer et al. (1974: 170 and Figs 98, 99); d’Abrera (1980, 2009); Berger (1981); Heath et al. (2002), Mendès et al. (2019); Williams (2022).

Holotype: ♂ Kafakumba , Katanga, DRC, xi.1937, MNHN.

Allotype: ♀ Kolwezi , Katanga, DRC, 20.iii.1963, MNHN.

Description

This subspecies is characterised by the greater extension of black markings. As for the apical area of forewings, the larger extension probably results, at least partly, of the larger size of bimacula but, along the costal edge, the black line and its projection are also more marked.

On the hindwing underside, the presence of an additional black spot in space 8, along the costal edge, is diagnostic (hence the name given to this subspecies); Stempffer et al. (1974: 171) obviously noticed the difference, as they wrote that there is only one spot in all the specimens of L. h. straminea .

Distribution

Most specimens were collected in southern DRC and northern Zambia. Regarding DRC, Berger (1981: 242) indicates (for L. h. homeyeri ) “ Kivu, Sankuru, Lualaba (common) and Haut Shaba (very common)”, which reflects the MRAC collection. In Kapanga, where long series of many butterfly species were collected, only six specimens were caught and, northwards, a single specimen was observed in Sankuru (Mwene Ditu, NE of Kapanga). The presence of L. homeyeri in Kivu is surprising, but one specimen has a handwritten label indicating ' Kivu: Numbi'. This locality situated south of Goma is very far from the rest of the range (about 600 km north of M’Pala), and it is doubtful that L. homeyeri is really established in this high altitude region (‘Numbi' is represented by a grey triangle on Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).

Stempffer et al. also mention many localities in the south of DRC, but few could be located. They place M'Pala in Tanzania, whereas this locality is in the DRC, on the western shore of Lake Tanganyika, and L. homeyeri does not occur in Tanzania [ Kielland (1990) does not mention it], but the indication 'Tanzania' is taken over by Berger.

https://metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF/1171/215% 20Genus%20 Liptena %20Westwood.pdf.

Regarding Zambia, localities are those given by Stempffer et al. [1974: 171 (for Rhodesia)] and by Heath et al. (2002: 86) – Ndola in the south and Mporokoso in the east represent the limits of the distribution of ssp. bimacula . It is very likely absent from Malawi, since Gifford (1965) does not mention L. homeyeri , and Steve Collins (pers. com.) has confirmed it has not been observed there recently.

Westward , the limit is in eastern Angola, where Barns collected five males that Stempffer et al. attributed to the nominate subspecies in “Zambezi- Congo Divide; Province of Moxico”. This locality, which is not mentioned by Crawford-Cabral & Mesquitela (1989), could not be located precisely (grey dot on the map, approx. 11°30′S, 21°30′ E) GoogleMaps .