Subfamily Heliconiinae.: A largely pantropical group, with one of the five tribes found in the Holarctic Region.
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Tribe Acraeini: There are two Afrotropical genera contained within this tribe; Telchinia and Acraea, both represented at Semuliki. There are 138 described Afrotropical species within this tribe with 104 species recorded in Uganda. At Semuliki a total of 45 species from both genera have been recorded: 25 from the genus Telchinia and 20 species of Acraea, contributing to a third of the Ugandan species total.
Genus Cymothoe: There are 15 species of the Afrotropical genus Cymothoe so far recorded at Semuliki from a.continent total of 78 (Williams, 2018) and a Ugandan total of 17 (Williams, 2015) or 90% of Uganda's total. The two Ugandan species not being recorded at Semuliki being C. distincta and C. indamora, but with both these species being recorded either in the Ituri Forest or Semliki Valley (Ducarme, 2018) it is a distinct possibility that they will also be found in Semuliki. Only three species are frequently sampled in traps and these are C. sangaris, C. cyclades and C. confusa. This genus has been categorised into clades nd the most commonly trapped species C. confusa had a distinctly clumped distribution within Semuliki. Species from this genus were observed more in the forest midstorey as compared to the preference of the forest floor for the genera Bebearia, Euphaedra and Euriphene.
Genus Cymothoe: There are 15 species of the Afrotropical genus Cymothoe so far recorded at Semuliki from a.continent total of 78 (Williams, 2018) and a Ugandan total of 17 (Williams, 2015) or 90% of Uganda's total. The two Ugandan species not being recorded at Semuliki being C. distincta and C. indamora, but with both these species being recorded either in the Ituri Forest or Semliki Valley (Ducarme, 2018) it is a distinct possibility that they will also be found in Semuliki. Only three species are frequently sampled in traps and these are C. sangaris, C. cyclades and C. confusa. This genus has been categorised into clades nd the most commonly trapped species C. confusa had a distinctly clumped distribution within Semuliki. Species from this genus were observed more in the forest midstorey as compared to the preference of the forest floor for the genera Bebearia, Euphaedra and Euriphene.
BUTTERFLY
Research, Conservation and Education
Semuliki National Park, Uganda
FAMILY HESPERIIDAE
A global family that in the Afrotropical region comprises 84 genera and includes 612 species, around 15% of the global species total. Afrotropical species are included within seven subgenera, which are further split into tribes. The majority of Afrotropical species are included within the subfamily Hesperiinae, although the phylogeny within this subgenus has yet to be clarified with certainty.
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To date there have now been 109 recorded species, an increase of 75 from the 34 recorded in Forbes (2018). This total represents just over 51% of the the 213 species recorded for the adjacent Ituri Forest and the DRC Semliki Valley (Ducarme, 2024). A number of genera are completely missing from the species records (as compared to the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley records) and would be expected to be present due to the parks proximity to the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley and with its similar habitat (lowland forest).​This suggests targeted sampling and increasing the number of sampling locations would no doubt uncover additional species. Teniorhinus watsoni a west African species was recorded in error by Davenport and incorrectly included in the Semuliki butterfly checklist (Forbes, 2018).
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Genera information for the Family Hesperiidae (with the 75 included additional records updated from Forbes (2018)) have been used principally from Larsen's unpublished document on the Hesperiidae Family. Further records have been taken from the Metamorphosis single genus documents published in pdf format by Mark Williams of the African Lepidopterists' Society.
Subfamily Coeliadinae
f the currently eight allocated genera to this subfamily (phylogeny unresolved) there are four Afrotropical genera: Pyrrhiades, Pyrrhochalcia and Tekliades, each of these genera containing just a single species in west Africa (Pyrrhiades and Pyrrhochalcia) and Madagascar (Tekliades). The fourth genus Coeliades has three species recorded from Semuliki.
Genus Coeliades. There are 19 species recorded from the Afrotropical region, eight species recorded from Uganda and three from Semuliki: Coeliades forestan, C. chalybe and C. libeon. Two uncommon species recorded in the Ituri Forest of the DRC and also recorded east of Semuliki in Uganda within the Mpanga Forest (C. bixana) and Entebbe (C. hanno), will probably be present in Semuliki.
Coeliades libeon (Druce, 1875)
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Coeliades libeon (upper and underside, sexes similar)
Coeliades libeon (underside)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Coeliades chalybe chalybe (Westwood, 1852)
Coeliades chalybe (waiting on field images)
Coeliades forestan forestan (Stoll, 1782)
Coeliades forestan (waiting on field images)
Subfamily Tagiadinae
This subfamily has been split into three tribes: Celaenorrhinini, Netrocorynini and Tagiadini.
Tribe Tagiadini
This includes nine Afrotropical genera.
Genus Eagris. There are ten species within this genus, eight recorded from Uganda and five recorded from Semuliki: Eagris lucetia, E. decastigama, E. tetrastigama, E. tigris and E. nottoana. Only two species (E. lucetia and E. decastigama) were included in the Semuliki species publication (Forbes, 2018).
Eagris tetrastigma tetrastigma (Mabille, 1891)
Eagris tetrastigma (male, underside)
Eagris lucetia (Hewitson, 1875)
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Eagris lucetia (upper and underside)
Eagris decastigma purpura (Evans, 1937)
Eagris decastigma (waiting on field images)
Eagris tigris tigris (Evans, 1937)
Eagris tigris (waiting on field images)
Eagris nottoana nottoana (Wallengren, 1857)
Eagris nottoana (waiting on field images)
Genus Calleagris. A genus containing four species. Of these, two have been recorded in Uganda and both are found at Semuliki: Calleagris hollandi and C. lacteus.
Calleagris hollandi (Butler, 1897)
Calleagris hollandi (waiting on field images)
Calleagris lacteus lacteus (Mabille, 1877)
Calleagris lacteus (waiting on field images)
Genus Tagiades. A genus containing15 species, predominantly from the Indomalayan and Australasian regions. Three species are from the Afrotropical region with one being recorded from Uganda, that is also found at Semuliki; Tagiades flesus. The other two Afrotropical species are not found on the African mainland and are endemics of Madagascar and the Comoros Islands.
Tagiades flesus (Fabricius, 1781)
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Tagiades flesus (male, upper and underside)
Tagiades flesus (female, upperside)
Genus Abantis. An Afrotropical genus containing 34 species. Only one has been recorded from Semuliki, Abantis iruma. A disappointing genus total considering the seven species recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley, although the majority of species within the group are considered rare.
Abantis iruma (Evans, 1951)
Abantis iruma (waiting on field image)
Tribe Celaenorrhinini
This includes ten Afrotropical genera, but so far only two genera have species recorded from Semuliki, Sarangesa and Scopulifera. This compares to the eight genera with species that have been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and DRC Semliki Valley.
Genus Sarangesa. A genus containing 23 species, 21 found throughout the Afrotropical region. Of the 21 Afrotropical species, ten have been recorded in Uganda with eight from Semuliki. Only two species were detailed in the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018): Sarangesa brigida and S. lucidella. The six additional records are: Saragesa bouvieri, S. terullianus, S. maculata, S. thecla, S. loelius and S. haplopa.
Sarangesa bouvieri (Mabille, 1877)
Sarangesa bouvieri (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa lucidella lucidella (Mabille, 1891)
Sarangesa lucidella (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa brigida sanaga (Miller, 1964)
Sarangesa brigida (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa tertullianus (Fabricius, 1793)
Sarangesa tertullianus (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa maculata (Mabille, 1891)
Sarangesa maculata (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa thecla mabira (Evans, 1956)
Sarangesa thecla (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa loelius (Mabille, 1877)
Sarangesa loelius (waiting on field images)
Sarangesa haplopa (Swinhoe, 1907)
Sarangesa haplopa (waiting on field images)
Genus Scopulifera. A small Afrotropical genus containing seven species, two recorded from Uganda and one from Semuliki; Scopulifera nigropuncta. This is a new record addition to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018).
Scopulifera nigropuncta (Bethune and Baker, 1908)
Scopulifera nigropuncta (waiting on field images)
Genus Bettonula. An Afrotropical genus containing only a single species - Bettonula bettoni - recorded from Semuliki. This record is a new record addition to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018).
Bettonula bettoni bettoni (Butler, 1902)
Bettonula bettoni (waiting on field images)
Genus Apallaga. A large Afrotropical genus containing 69 species, 11 recorded from Uganda and six so far from Semuliki: Apallaga fulgens, A homeyeri, A. darlustris, A. inexpectata, A. boadicea and A. alluaudi. There have been 15 species recorded from the Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley of the DRC and further species would therefore be expected at Semuliki with targeted sampling and an increase in sampling locations. All six species are new additions to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018). Many thanks to Michel Libert for identification assistance (see Libert, (2014) for species descriptions and distributions).
Although the specimen below (first two images) has been identified as most probably a male A. alluaudi, it could also be a male A. fulgens. The two species are difficult to separate by differentiating males, but generally the forewing discal band is narrower in A. fulgens and also the males are more orange (see possible A. fulgens images below A. alluaudi). The females are easier to identify. This can be seen in the last image where the two sexes are present, the female clearly being an A. alluaudi.
Apallaga alluaudi (Mabille and Boullet, 1916)
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Apallaga alluaudi - possibly (male, upper and underside)
Apallaga alluaudi (female above, male below)
Apallaga fulgens montanus (Libert, 2014)
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Apallaga fulgens - possibly (male, upper and underside)
The specimen below has been identified as most probably a male A. darlustris, but it could also be a male A. inexpectata. The identification probability being solely based on A. darlustris being more commonly recorded than A. inexpectata. The two species are difficult to separate solely by differentiating males (genitalia dissection would allow a comparison).
Apallaga darlustris (Libert, 2014)
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Apallaga darlustris - possibly (male, upper and underside)
Apallaga homeyeri fracta (Libert, 2014)
Apallaga homeyeri (waiting on field images)
Apallaga boadicea howarthi (Berger, 1976)
Apallaga boadicea (waiting on field images)
Apallaga inexpectata (Libert, 2014)
Apallaga inexpectata (waiting on field images)
Genus Eretis. A small Afrotropical genus containing 12 species with four recorded from Semuliki - E. buamba, E. melania, E. artorius and E.camerona. All four records are new additions to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018).
Eretis buamba (Evans, 1937)
Eretis buamba (waiting on field images)
Eretis melania (Mabille, 1891)
Eretis melania (waiting on field images)
Eretis artorius (Larsen and Cock, 2011)
Eretis artorius (waiting on field images)
Eretis camerona (Evans, 1937)
Eretis camerona (waiting on field images)
Genus Celaenorrhinus. A global genus of which 20 are Afrotropical species, seven recorded from Uganda and so far only three from Semuliki: Celaenorrhinus proxima, C. perimitans and C. macrostictus. All three species are new record additions to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018). Further targeted and increased location sampling would be expected to increase this genus's species presence. The seven species recorded from Uganda have also been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and DRC Semliki Valley.
Celaenorrhinus perimitans (Libert, 2014)
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Celaenorrhinus perimitans (upper and underside)
The specimens shown above are most likely C. perimitans. The two very similar species (C.perimitans and C. proxima) are difficult to separate, but can be differentiated by a ratio of the maximum wing length divided by the width of the forewing white spot in space two. The white spot in space two of the forewing of C. proxima is shorter than C. perimitans (above) and this resulting calculated ratio therefore has been shown to be significantly greater for C. proxima.
Celaenorrhinus proxima (Mabille, 1877)
Celaenorrhinus perimitans (uppersides)
Celaenorrhinus macrostictus (Holland, 1893)
Celaenorrhiinus macrostictus (waiting on field images)
Tribe Carcharodini
A global tribe that includes five Afrotropical genera, only one genus with a species representative has been recorded from Semuliki.
Genus Spialia. A small Afrotropical genus containing five species, one with a geographical range outside the Afrotropical realm. Only one species has been recorded from Semuliki - S. ploetzi, in comparison to the four species recorded from the Ituri Forest and the DRC Semliki Valley. S. ploetzi is a new record addition to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018).
Spialia ploetzi ploetzi (Aurivillius, 1891)
Spialia ploetzi (waiting on field images)
Subfamily Hesperiinae
A global subfamily split into 13 tribes., but with a predominantly Neotropical composition.
Tribe Hesperiini
A large global tribe that includes 40 Afrotropical genera, 15 genera have species recorded from Semuliki.
Genus Lepella. An Afrotropical genus containing a single species recorded from Semuliki: Lepella lepeletier. An additional record to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018).
Lepella lepeletier (Latreille, 1824)
Lepella lepeletier (waiting on field images)
Genus Prosopalpus. A small Afrotropical genus containing three species, one recorded from Semuliki: Prosopalpus styla. This is an additional record to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018). A further four species have been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley suggesting targeted sampling and increasing sampling locations would provide further records.
Prosopalpus styla (Evans, 1937)
Prosopalpus styla (waiting on field images)
Genus Kedestes. A genus containing 14 species, three recorded from Uganda and one from Semuliki: Kedestes rogersi. Tis species has not been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest or Semliki Valley, however another species recorded from the Ituri Forest is K. wallengrenii.
Kedestes rogersi (Druce, 1907)
Kedestes rogersi (waiting on field images)
Genus Gorgyra. An Afrotropical genus containing 24 species, nine recorded from Uganda and nine from the Ituri Forest and DRC Semliki Valley (including Gorgyra mocquerysii). To date only two have been recorded from Semuliki: Gorgyra diversata and G. mocquerysii. This is another genus that is under-represented at Semuliki and could benefit with targeted sampling and increased location sampling. These two species are additional records to the Semuliki species list (Forbes, 2018).
Gorgyra mocquerysii (Holland, 1896)
Gorgyra mocquerysii (waiting on field images)
Gorgyra diversata (Evans, 1937)
Gorgyra diversata (waiting on field images)
Genus Teniorhinus. A small Afrotropical genus containing four species, two recorded from Uganda, both present at Semuliki: Teniorhinus ignita and T. niger. A west African species, T. watsoni, had been recorded in error from Semuliki (listed within the species list (Forbes, 2018)) and has been removed from the current amended species total.
Teniorhinus ignita (Mabille, 1877)
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Teniorhinus ignita (males, undersides)
Teniorhinus ignita - two field images above by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
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Teniorhinus ignita (female, upper and underside)
Teniorhinus niger (Druce, 1910)
Teniorhinus niger (waiting on field images)
Genus Hypoleucis. A small Afrotropical genus containing four species, all being recorded from Uganda with three being recorded from Semuliki: Hypoleucis tripunctata, H. dacena and H. ophiusa. Only one species, H. tripunctata was recorded in the species list (Forbes, 2018). The unrecorded species O. sophia has only been recorded at Budongo Forest, a submontane forest around 190km north-east of Semuliki.
Hypoleucis tripunctata draga (Evans, 1937)
Hypoleucis tripunctata (waiting on field images)
Hypoleucis dacena (Hewitson, 1876)
Hypoleucis dacena (waiting on field images)
Hypoleucis ophiusa ophir (Evans, 1937)
Hypoleucis ophiusa (waiting on field images)
Genus Andronymus. An Afrotropical genus containing 14 species, with six recorded from Uganda and three from Semuliki: Andronymus neander, A. gander and A. caesar. Only one species, A. neander was detailed in the Semuliki butterfly species list (Forbes, 2018). Seven species have been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley and targeted sampling and increased location sampling would no doubt increase this genus species representation at Semuliki.
Andronymus gander (Evans, 1947)
Andronymus gander (underside, sexes similar)
Image by thijsvalkenburg (original posted on www.inaturalist.org)
Andronymus neander neander (Plötz, 1884)
Andronymus neander (waiting on field images)
Andronymus caesar philander (Hopffer, 1855)
Andronymus caesar (waiting on field images)
Genus Zophopetes. An Afrotropical genus containing seven species, with five recorded from Uganda and four from Semuliki: Zophopetes dysmephila, Z. nobilor, Z. ganda and Z. cerymica; the latter two species being additional records to the Forbes (2018) Semuliki species list publication. The Ugandan species not recorded from Semuliki: Zophopetes quaternata has been recorded from the DRC Semliki Valley, so with targeted sampling would likely be found in the park.
Zophotes dysmephila (Trimen, 1868)
Zophopetes dysmephila (waiting on field images)
Zophotes cerymica (Hewitson, 1867)
Zophopetes cerymica (waiting on field images)
Zophotes nobilor (Holland, 1896)
Zophopetes nobilor (waiting on field images)
Zophotes ganda (Evans, 1937)
Zophopetes ganda (waiting on field images)
Genus Xanthodisca. A small Afrotropical genus containing three species, with two recorded from Semuliki: Xanthodisca vibius and X. astrape. Both species are additions to the Forbes (2018) publication. Both species have also been recorded from the Ituri Forest.
Xanthodisca vibius (Hewitson, 1878)
Xanthodisca vibius (waiting on field images)
Xanthodisca astrape (Holland, 1892)
Xanthodisca astrape (waiting on field images)
Genus Fresna. A small Afrotropical genus comprising six species, with three recorded from Semuliki: Fresna joppa, F. nyassae and F. netopha, all additional records not included in the Semuliki species list publication (Forbes, 2018). An additional three species have been recorded from the Ituri Forest and targeted sampling at Semuliki should expect to find these.
Fresna nyassae plata (Evans, 1937)
Fresna nyassae (waiting on field images)
Fresna joppa (Evans, 1937)
Fresna joppa (waiting on field images)
Fresna netopha (Hewitson, 1878)
Fresna netopha (waiting on field images)
Tribe Baorini
A tribe that includes seven Afrotropical genera.
Genus Borbo. A genus containing 16 species from within the Afrotropical region. Nine species have been recorded from Uganda, with six species present at Semuliki: Borbo fallax, B. micans, B. fatuellus, B. borbonica, B. detecta and B. lugens. Only Borbo fallax was included in the Forbes (2018) species list. B. fanta and B. kaka have been recorded in the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley.
Borbo fallax (Gaede, 1916)
Borbo fallax (waiting on field images)
Borbo micans (Holland, 1896)
Borbo micans (waiting on field images)
Borbo fatuellus fatuellus (Hopffer, 1855)
Borbo fatuellus (waiting on field images)
Borbo borbonica borbonica (Boisduval, 1833)
Borbo borbonica (waiting on field images)
Borbo detecta (Trimen, 1893)
Borbo detecta (waiting on field images)
Borbo lugens (Hopffer, 1855)
Borbo lugens (waiting on field images)
Genus Zenonia. An Afrotropical genus comprising three species, two recorded from Uganda and both recorded from Semuliki: Zenonia zeno and Z. crasta. Both records are additional to the Forbes (2018) species list.
Zenonia zeno (Trimen, 1864)
Zenonia zeno (waiting on field images)
Zenonia crasta (Evans, 1937)
Zenonia crasta (waiting on field images)
Genus Pelopidas. A broad Afro-Euroasia genus comprising two species found within the Afrotropical region: Pelopidas thrax and P. mathias, both recorded from Semuliki. Both records are additional to the Forbes (2018) species list.
Pelopidas thrax (Hübner, 1821)
Pelopidas thrax (waiting on field images)
Pelopidas mathias mathias (Fabricius, 1798)
Pelopidas mathias (waiting on field images)
Tribe Ceratrichiini
A tribe that includes seven Afrotropical genera.
Genus Ceratrichia. An Afrotropical genus containing 13 species, six recorded from Uganda, eight from the Ituri Forest and DRC Semliki Valley and five from Semuliki: Ceratrichia semlikensis, C. wollastoni, C. clara, C. hollandi and C. enta. The latter two species are additional records to the Forbes (2018) species list.
Ceratrichia semlikensis (Joicey and Talbot, 1921)
Ceratricia semlikensis (male, upperside and underside)
Ceratrichia hollandi (Bethune-Baker, 1908)
Ceratrichia hollandi (female, upperside and underside)
Images by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Ceratrichia clara medea (Evans, 1937)
Ceratrichia clara (female, underside)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Ceratrichia wollastoni (Heron, 1909)
Ceratrichia wollastoni (waiting on field images)
Ceratrichia enta (Evans, 1947)
Ceratrichia enta (waiting on field images)
Genus Ceratricula. An Afrotropical monotypic genus, the single species being recorded at Semuliki: Ceratricula semilutea.
Ceratricula semilutea congdoni (Larsen, 2013)
Ceratricula semilutea (waiting on field images)
Genus Pardaleodes. An Afrotropical genus containing six species, five recorded from Uganda and four from Semuliki: Pardaleodes tibillus, P. sator, P. incerta and P. bule.
Pardaleodes incerta incerta (Snellen, 1872)
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Pardaleodes incerta (male, upperside)
Pardaleodes incerta (male, underside)
Pardaleodes incerta (female, upper and underside)
Pardaleodes sator pusiella (Mabille, 1877)
Pardaleodes sator (male, upper and underside - different specimens)
Upperside image by clicque (original posted on www.inaturalist.org)
Pardaleodes tibillus torensis (Bethune-Baker, 1906)
Pardaleodes tibillus (waiting on field images)
Pardaleodes bule (Holland, 1896)
Pardaleodes bule (waiting on field images)
Genus Ankola. An Afrotropical monotypic genus containing the species Ankola fan which has been recorded at Semuliki. This is an additional record to the Forbes (2018) publication.
Ankola fan (Holland, 1894)
Ankola fan (waiting on field images)
Genus Meza. An Afrotropical genus containing ten species, four within Uganda and one recorded from Semuliki: Meza cybeutes. Four species have been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and DRC Semliki Valley, including all four recorded from Uganda: M. cybeutes, M. meza, M. indusiata and M. mabillei.
Meza cybeutes pallida (Evans, 1937)
Meza cybeutes (waiting on field images)
Tribe Astictopterini
A large tribe that includes a number Afrotropical genera.
Genus Osmodes. An Afrotropical genus containing 14 species, ten recorded from Uganda and seven from Semuliki: Osmodes laronia, O. thora, O. banghaasi, O. adonia, O. adosus, O. lux and O. hollandi. Only two were included in the Forbes (2018) publication: Osmodes laronia and O. thora, so an additional five records from Semuliki are now known for this genus. An increase in recorded species would be expected with an increase in sampling locations and targeted sampling. Ten species of this genus have been recorded from the Ituri Forest.
Osmodes thora (Plötz, 1884)
Osmodes thora (possibly female, with a lighter underside)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Osmodes laronia (Hewitson, 1868)
Osmodes laronia (male)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Osmodes banghaasi (Holland, 1896)
Osmodes banghaasi (waiting on field images)
Osmodes adonia (Evans, 1937)
Osmodes adonia (waiting on field images)
Osmodes adosus (Mabille, 1889)
Osmodes adosus (waiting on field images)
Osmodes lux (Holland, 1892)
Osmodes lux (waiting on field images)
Osmodes hollandi (Evans, 1937)
Osmodes hollandi (waiting on field images)
Genus Gamia. An Afrotropical genus containing three species, two recorded from within Uganda and just the one recorded from Semuliki: Gamia shellyi. The other species recorded from Uganda; Gamia buchholzi has been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest and should be found within the park with targeted and increased location sampling.
Gamia shelleyi (Sharpe, 1890)
Gamia shellyi (waiting on field images)
Genus Caenides. An Afrotropical genus containing nine species, three recorded from within Uganda and two from Semuliki: Caenides dacela and C. kangvensis. Only C. dacela was recorded in the published species list for the park (Forbes, 2018). The third species recorded from Uganda, C. xychus has been recorded from both the DRC Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley and would be expected to be recorded in the park with targeted sampling.
Caenides dacela (Hewitson, 1876)
Caenides dacela (waiting on field images)
Caenides kangvensis (Holland, 1896)
Caenides kangvensis (waiting on field images)
Genus Monza. A small Afrotropical genus containing three species, all recorded from within Uganda and recorded from Semuliki: Monza punctata, M. cretacea and M. alberti. Only M. punctata was included in the published species list for the park (Forbes, 2018) with M. cretacea and M. alberti being additional records.
Monza punctata crola (Evans, 1937)
Monza punctata (waiting on field images)
Monza cretacea (Snellen, 1872)
Monza cretacea (waiting on field images)
Monza alberti (Holland, 1896)
Monza alberti (waiting on field images)
Genus Rhabdomantis. A small Afrotropical genus comprising two species, one being recorded from Semuliki: Rhabdomantis galatia. This is an additional record to the publication Forbes (2018). The second species within this genus R. sosia has been recorded in both the Ituri Forest and Semliki Valley DRC and would be expected to be present at Semuliki.
Rhabdomantis galatia (Hewitson, 1868)
​Rhabdomantis galatia (waiting on field images)
Genus Acleros. An Afrotropical genus containing eight species, five from Uganda and all five so far recorded from Semuliki: Acleros neavei, A. ploetzi, A. nigrapex, A. bibundica and A. mackenii. The latter three species are additional records to that detailed in Forbes (2018).
Acleros mackenii olaus (Plötz, 1884)
​Acleros mackenii (sexes similar)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Acleros ploetzi (Mabille, 1889)
Acleros ploetzi (waiting on field images)
Acleros neavei (Evans, 1937)
Acleros neavei (waiting on field images)
Acleros nigrapex (Strand, 1913)
Acleros nigrapex (waiting on field images)
Acleros bibundica (Strand, 1913)
Acleros bibundica (waiting on field images)
Genus Semalea. An Afrotropical genus containing five species with two being recorded from Semuliki: Semalea pulvina and S. sextilis. Both species are additional records to the Forbes (2018) species list.
Semalea pulvina (Plötz, 1879)
Semalea pulvina (waiting on field images)
Semalea sextilis (Plötz, 1886)
Semalea sextilis (waiting on field images)
Genus Paronymus. An Afrotropical genus containing 15 species with one being recorded from Semuliki: Paronymus ligora. Four species have been recorded from the Ituri Forest, including P. ligora and further species would be expected to be found with targeted sampling.
Paronymus ligora (Hewitson, 1876)
Paronymus ligora (waiting on field images)
Genus Chondrolepis. An Afrotropical genus comprising principally submontane species and therefore as would be expected only one has been recorded at Semuliki: Chondrolepis niveicornis. This is an additional record to the Forbes (2018) Semuliki species list.
Chondrolepis niveicornis (Plötz, 1883)
Chondrolepis niveicornis (waiting on field images)
Genus Mopala. An Afrotropical monotypic genus comprising the single species: Mopala orma and recorded from Semuliki; an addition to the species list of Forbes (2018).
Mopala orma (Plötz, 1879)
Mopala orma (waiting on field images)
Genus Pteroteinon. An Afrotropical genus containing 10 species, five recorded from within Uganda and two recorded from Semuliki: Pteroteinon caenira and P. capronnieri. Both species are additions to the published species list (Forbes, 2018). Seven of the 10 species have been recorded in the adjacent Ituri Forest of the DRC and targeted sampling and increased sampling locations would increase the recorded species number of this genus.
Pteroteinon caenira (Hewitson, 1867)
Pteroteinon caenira (male, underside)
Pteroteinon caenira (male, underside)
Image by clicque (original posted on www.inaturalist.org)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Pteroteinon capronnieri (Plötz, 1879)
Pteroteinon capronnieri (waiting on field images)
Tribe Gretnini
A monotypic tribe that includes the genus Gretna.
Genus Gretna. An Afrotropical genus containing nine species, six recorded from within Uganda and three recorded from Semuliki: Gretna cylinda, G. zaremba and G. carmen. The two species G. zaremba and G. carmen are additions to Forbes, (2018). Of the three other species recorded from Uganda; Gretna balenge, G. bugoma and G. waga, two have been recorded from the DRC Ituri Forest (G. bugoma being the exception). These two Ituri Forest species should be found within the park with targeted sampling.
Gretna carmen carmen (Evans, 1937)
Gretna carmen (male, underside)
Image by Sven Bontenbal (Semuliki National Park Collection - www.observation.org)
Gretna zaremba jacksoni (Evans, 1937)
Gretna zaremba (waiting on field images)
Gretna cylinda (Hewitson, 1876)
Gretna cylinda (waiting on field images)
Specific references
Ackery, P.R., Smith, C.R. and Vane-Wright, R.I., (1995). Carcasson's African Butterflies: An annotated Catalogue of the Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea of the Afrotropical Region. British Museum (Natural History), London, U.K.
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Cong, Q., et al., (2019). Fifty new genera of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Insecta Mundi 731, pp. 1–56.
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Evans, W.H., (1937). A catalogue of the African Hesperiidae indicating the classification and nomenclature adopted in the British Museum. The British Museum.
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Larsen, T.B., (2015). A revision of the Family Hesperiidae (unpublished document), ABRI, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Libert, M., (2014). Sur la taxonomie du genre Celaenorrhinus Hübner en Afrique (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae). ABRI, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Williams, M.W., (2023). Classification of the Afrotropical butterflies to generic level. Metamorphosis 26, pp 102-108.
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Williams, M.W., (2023). Encyclopaedia of Afrotropical Butterflies (digital edition), Lepidopterists' Society of Africa..
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Zhang, J., et al., (2019). Three new subfamilies of skipper butterflies (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae). Zookeys 861, pp. 91–105.
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Zhang, J., et al., (2022). Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Insecta Mundi 921.
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Zhu, L., et al., (2023). Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses provide novel insights into the taxonomic problems of several hesperiid taxa (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Scientific Reports 13, 7901.