Liptena alluaudi Mabille, 1890

Libert, Michel, 2022, Taxonomic notes on Liptena fatima (Kirby, 1890), with description of a new subspecies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Poritiinae), Metamorphosis 33 (1), pp. 79-84 : 83

Liptena alluaudi Mabille, 1890 ( Figs 16 –17)

L. alluaudi closely resembles L. fatima nigeriana ssp. nov., from which it differs in the total absence of discoidal spots, on both the upper and under sides. No intermediate specimens were observed, but two females of L. fatima from Nigeria labelled as L. alluaudi by Stempffer were seen at the MRAC; the discoidal spots are visible only on the underside of the hindwings in one (from Awka), all four spots are visible in the other (Awgu, 45 km SE Awka).

L. alluaudi , which is certainly present in almost the entire range of L. fatima nigeriana ssp. nov., also coexists with the nominate subspecies in western Cameroon. Indeed, a specimen of L. alluaudi captured by Sjöstedt (locality not indicated, but most likely in western Cameroon) was photographed at the Stockholm Museum; this observation corresponds with Aurivillius (1895: 202), who mentions the capture of a pair in Itoki, north of Mount Cameroon (near Munyenge, where the author caught L. f. fatima ). The distribution of L. alluaudi given by Aurivillius (1918: 334) already included Cameroon, but this country is not indicated by Stempffer et al. [1974: 136 (western limit = Awka)], nor by Larsen [2005: 145 (limit = Gambari, near Lagos)].

Figures

Figures 16 to 27 – Liptena alluaudi (Figs 16, 17); Liptena fatima nigeriana ssp. nov. (Figs 18, 19); Liptena fatima fatima (Figs 20, 21 & 24–27); and Liptena fatima ssp. (Figs 22, 23).