taxonID	type	description	language	source
03BD9F74FA522A0131DD30040BFEFA06.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Stempfferia carcassoni Jackson, 1962 by original designation.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	description	(Figs 1 A – D, 2, 3 A – C, 4 A – C, 6)	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype: • ♀ DRC bufferzone for Salonga National Park, forest around Monkoto, 03 – 10. X. 2016. Leg.: Sáfián, Sz. Coordinates: 1 ° 44 ’ 48.99 ” S, 20 ° 40 ’ 49.19 ” E. Deposited in ANHRT. ANHRT unique ID number: ANHRTUK 00056579. Paratypes: • 1 ♂ DRC bufferzone for Salonga National Park, forest around Monkoto, 03 – 10. X. 2016. Leg.: Sáfián, Sz. Coordinates: 1 ° 44 ’ 48.99 ” S, 20 ° 40 ’ 49.19 ” E. Gen. prep.: SAFI 00227; • 1 ♂ DRCbufferzonefor Salonga National Park, forest around Monkoto, 03 – 10. X. 2016. Leg.: Sáfián, Sz. Coordinates: 1 ° 44 ’ 48.99 ” S, 20 ° 40 ’ 49.19 ” E. Gen. prep.: SAFI 00243; • 4 ♂, 7 ♀ DRCbufferzonefor Salonga National Park, forest around Monkoto, 03 – 10. X. 2016. Leg.: Sáfián, Sz. Coordinates: 1 ° 44 ’ 48.99 ” S, 20 ° 40 ’ 49.19 ” E. Deposited in ABRI, ANHRT, CB, CEP-MZUJ and ZSM; • 1 ♂ S. CAMEROON, Maan. X. 1996. Leg. S. C. Collins. Gen. prep.: SAFI 00223. Deposited in ABRI.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	description	Description. Female. Forewing length: ca. 22.2 mm. Wingspan: ca. 40 mm. General appearance like other species in the S. cercene - group with blackish-brown forewing with a triangular light-blue basal and a large white area in the centre, which broadens from the end of the cell to space 2, narrows down again in space 1 b and terminates at vein 1. Dark, uniform greyish-brown hindwing and a lighter greyish-brown underside with silvery-grey zigzagging pattern. Prominent black triangular streak present at end of forewing discal cell and blackish-brown spot in costal side of cell along the edge of blue area, which at first sight looks more like physical damage washed off the blue scaling. Outer edge of central white area lobed, particularly in space 2 where long and acute-tipped lobe extends into submarginal area (Fig. 1 A). Underside greyish-brown with large white spot on forewing, and small crescentshaped silvery-grey spots forming sub-marginal line, grey chevrons forming marginal line. Hindwing mottles more irregular with silvery-grey streaks in base and median. Crescents and chevrons appear in sub-marginal and marginal areas (Fig. 1 B). Eyes large, dark brown, antennae blackish on dorsal side, ringed with white ventrally, tip of club orange. Body black on dorsal side, greyish-brown below. Male. Forewing length: ca. 20.3 mm. Wingspan: ca. 34.5 mm (dimensions refer to the male illustrated on Fig 2 A, B). General appearance like other species in S. cercene - group. Upperside largely covered by iridescent cobalt blue. Forewing with narrow black costa, black apex and broad black margin that narrows down towards tornus. Discal cell clearly closed by black streak, often narrow, could be prominent with triangular connection to vein 6. Hindwing costa black beyond vein 6, margin between veins 1 and 6 narrow (<1 mm). Inner margin and wing in space 1 b light greyish-brown (Fig. 2 A). Underside like that of female without white area on forewing. Ground colour in spaces 1 a and 2 of forewing slightly darker (Fig. 2 B). Eyes large, dark brown, antennae blackish on dorsal side, ringed with white ventrally. Their orange tip very inconspicuous. Body black on dorsal side, greyish-brown below. Male genitalia. Large, 2.3 – 2.5 mm (n = 3) mm along dorsoventral axis. Slender and rather simple, similar to most species in the group. Coremata (removed) large (d = 0.8 mm), covered by thick black hairs. Uncus crescentic, thickly covered with short hairs, subunci long, slender. Subscaphium slender, its length reaches the length of subunci. Tegumen narrow, slightly bent, valva elongate, with slightly rounded dorsal edge, narrows down to a rounded lobe-like projection at the tip. Broadest in the outer third. Ventral edge slightly concave. Saccus very long and slender, longer than half the length of the valva. Aedeagus bent, broad in the middle, edge of dorsal protuberance curved. Anterior end rounded, tip narrows down acutely (Figs 3 A, B, C). Female genitalia. Not examined.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis. In the S. cercene - group, males of only two species are recognized with a black-streak at the end of the discal cell on the forewing upperside: S. moyambina and S. subtumescens. S. salonga and the other newly described S. buea (see below) are also very similar in appearance, however, S. moyambina has a consistently more prominent streak at the end of the discal cell, occasionally S. subtumescens and S. salonga males appear with a more prominent streak too, but this variation is not known in S. buea as the examined material is limited to the holotype. All species differ in the male genitalia, especially in the shape of valva (shown on Fig. 4 in lateral view): S. moyambina and S. buea have narrower valva, also the sub-unci of S. buea and the subscaphium are also markedly broader / stronger. The valva of S. subtumescens has a prominent hump in the outer third of the valva nearer the tip. The width of the valva in S. monkoto is intermediate between those of S. buea and S. subtumescens but without a prominent hump dorsally. The female of S. salonga is different from all other species in the group, having a further prominent black spot in the light blue patch at the base of the costal side of the forewing discal cell. As a first impression it looks more like a patchy damage, but this feature is constant across the holotype and seven female paratypes, all fresh specimens. No other species in the group appears to express this pattern in the forewing cell.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Anoun in apposition. Gender feminine. The species is named in recognition of the Salonga National Park in Central DRC (Cuvette Centrale), the largest terrestrial protected area in Africa, covering over 3 000 000 hectares of the Congolian rainforest ecosystem. S. salonga is one of the probably well over one-thousand butterfly species that the park harbours and the first one recognised among other undescribed species that probably still hide deep in the Congo Basin.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	distribution	Distribution. S. salonga is known only from its type locality, Monkoto on Luilaka River in the buffer zone of Salonga National Park and another male specimen with identical genitalia, collected by ABRI collectors in Southern Cameroon (Maan) (Fig. 6) and thus should be a Central African lowland species with its’s distribution probably centred on the Congo Basin. Bionomics. It was rather frequent in Monkoto village around prominent ant-infested trees, which were planted during the Belgian colonial times as a tree-avenue, between the town and the small port on the Luilaka River. Usually 2 – 3 specimens were found perching relatively low down on dry twigs in the morning hours on each visit to the site. Males were also seen displaying by around 10 a. m.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA522A0431DD330A0BEFF928.taxon	discussion	Remark. Females of Stempfferia salonga are readily recognizable by having a prominent black spot in the light blue patch at the base of the costal side of the forewing discal cell (see Differential diagnosis above) and therefore, a female specimen is selected to be designated as the holotype of this species.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	description	(Figs 3 D, 4 D, 5 A, B, 6)	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype: • ♂ CAMEROON, Buea, Mount Cameroon 12.1994 Leg.: S. Collins, gen. prep. SAFI 00224. Deposited in ABRI.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	description	Description. Forewing length: ca. 22.2 mm. Wingspan: ca. 38.5 mm. Thegeneral appearance isidentical tothat of S. subtumescens and S. salonga (Figs 5 A, B). Male genitalia. Size and general structure of male genitalia like that of S. salonga. Uncus broad, its length half of that of valva. Sub-unci long and bold-strong. Subscaphium prominent, rather broad, its length reaches the length of subunci (Fig 3 D). Valva elongate, rather slender, particularly its basal half, broadening strongly towards its broadest point in the outer third (Fig. 4 D). Dorsal edge strongly rounded, ventral one slightly curved inward. Anterior end of aedeagus acute, with a long and narrow tip. Female. Unknown.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis. The appearance of the holotype is identical to males of S. subtumescens and the newly described S. salonga. They differ in features of the male genitalia. The subunci and subscaphium of S. buea are much broader and the valva much more slender in lateral view compared to the other two species, particularly in the basal half. S. moyambina has a more prominent streak at the end of discal cell.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Anoun in apposition. Gender feminine. The species is named after the city of Buea at the foothills of Mount Cameroon. Buea is a famous locality of historic butterfly research and currently the University of Buea is one of the Central African strongholds of wildlife and natural science education.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known only from the type locality on Mount Cameroon, Cameroon (Fig. 6).	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA572A0A31DD33F808A8FD33.taxon	discussion	Remark. The holotype of S. buea came to the authors’ attention during the examination of Stempfferia specimens for comparison with the above-described S. salonga in the ABRI collection. It was first suspected that it might be conspecific with S. subtumescens, assessed from the relative proximity between localities of the two (Fig. 6). However, the genitalia of S. buea differ from those of rest of the species in the group which rules out conspecificity.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	description	(Figs 7 A, B, 8 A – D, 9 A, B, 10)	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype: • ♀ LIBERIA, Nimba County, Nimba Mountains, Coldwater, ENNR and Blei Community Forest I. 2014. Leg.: Sáfián, Sz. ANHRT unique ID number: ANHRT 00157777. Deposited in ANHRT. Paratypes: • 1 ♂ SIERRA LEONE, Gola North, Dukor Magboin Tujuma 29.05.2011 Leg. C. Belcastro. Deposited in CB; • 1 ♂ GUINEA, Forêt Classée de Ziama, Dopamai trail. 11. III. 2019, Leg.: Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., Florczyk, K., Koivogui, S. Gen. prep. 739 / 21.02.2020 J. Lorenc. Deposited in CEP-MZUJ. • 1 ♂ GUINEA, Forêt Classée de Ziama, Dopamai trail. 11. III. 2019, Leg.: Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., Florczyk, K., Koivogui, S. Deposited in CEP-MZUJ. • 1 ♂ IVORY COAST, Alépé, Yaya, C. d’Ivoire 17.09.2000. Leg.: H. W-Gash, Gen. prep.: SAFI 00107. ABRI unique number: ABRI- 2016 - 02792. Deposited in ABRI. • 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ IVORY COAST, Alépé, Mont Péko, Leg.: Warren-Gash, H. Deposited in HWG.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	description	Description. Female. Forewing length: ca. 15 mm. Wingspan: ca. 24 mm. Costa and outer margin of forewing rounded, and lacking an acute apex, hindwing also rounded. Upperside ground colour of the forewing black, more blackish-grey on the hindwing. Basal half of both wings covered with a light, slightly iridescent blue patch, excluding a strip along the costa and the majority of space 1 a on the hindwing. Outer edge of the forewing patch rather rounded, and well defined with slight blue diffusion. Hindwing’s blue diffusion fan-shaped or a segment of a circle, broadening from the base towards the margin. Its outer edge is strongly diffuse, powdered with tiny blue speckles (Fig. 7 A). The underside is chocolate-brown, with a lighter, quite inconspicuous, slightly undulating traverse band in the post-median of forewing, and two rows of chevrons in the sub-marginal area. A light, almost invisible median band is also present. The outer two-thirds of the hindwing has two light brown undulating transverse lines in the median and post-median, and two lines along the margin constituted by chevrons, similarly to the forewing (Fig. 7 B). The body is blackish-grey above, chocolate brown below. The legs are ochreous, the eyes are black, bald. The antennae are black above, ringed with white below, their clubs are broken off on the holotype. Male. Forewing length: 16 – 16.5 mm (n = 2). Wingspan: 29 – 31 mm. Upperside bright metallic blue with black costa and large black apex on forewing and narrow black margin on hindwing (Figs 8 A, C). Underside chocolate brown with faint zig-zagging marginal and submarginal lines on both wings (Figs 8 B, D). Male genitalia. Size and general structure of male genitalia like that of S. zelza. Coremata (removed) rather thick (d = 0.6 mm). Uncus broad, its length half of that of valva. Tegumen squat. Sub-unci long and slender with upcurving tip. Subscaphium straight, slender, its length slightly shorter than length of subunci. Valva elongate but broad, ends in thumb-like protrusion. Dorsal edge slightly angled in middle, ventral one slightly curved inward in basal half. Saccus slender, longer than half the length of valva. Aedeagus strongly bent dorsally, broadest in basal half, narrows down to both tips. Anterior tip narrows down more acutely, while posterior end longer and narrows down more evenly (Figs 9 A, B). Female genitalia. Not examined.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis. Males of S. michelliberti and S. zelza are most easily separated by their tone of blue, which is more vivid metallic in S. michelliberti and slightly powdery in S. zelza. The colour difference is best seen in natural light and is difficult to reproduce on photographs. The male genitalia do not provide safe identification of the taxa due to observed variation in the shape of valva. In females, the most easily definable diagnostic feature is the black cell-closing streak of S. zelza, which is missing from the three known females of S. michelliberti but is invariably present on the long series of S. zelza females examined. The tone of blue on the pperside of wings also differs slightly but is difficult to define.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Anoun in a genitive case, formed directly from a modern personal name of masculine gender (Art. 31.1.2). The authors dedicate this species to Michel Libert renown expert of African Lycaenidae, who has spent years studying Epitola s. l. first in the field in Cameroon, and later in collections all over the world. Michel Libert has most recently published the update of his revision (Libert 2020) with descriptions of 25 new species and another 11 subspecies in addition to the 135 species and 23 subspecies he listed in the original revision (Libert 1999).	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA592A0E31DD321A0C89FF62.taxon	discussion	Remark. The species was first found in Ivory Coast by Haydon Warren-Gash, who had the specimens in his collection as an underscribed subspecies of S. zelza but he hesitated to describe it from the limited material, given its general similarity to S. zelza. Afurther male specimen was collected by Claudio Belcastro in the Gola Forests (now Gola Rainforest National Park), Sierra Leone. Sáfián obtained a single female at the foothills of the Liberian Nimba Mountains (Coldwater), he also noticed its difference from S. zelza females (Sáfián 2014). Two further males were collected in the Ziama Forest in Guinea more recently (Sáfián et al. 2020 b). Specific division between the Ghana subregion and the Liberian subregion is not common but nor it is unprecedented. One of the most recent examples in Epitolini appears in Libert (2020), who reinstated Cephetola doleta (Kirby, 1890) from synonymy, for the Liberian subregion populations formerly treated as C. cephena (Hewitson, 1873), while the Ghana subregion populations were assigned to a newly described taxon, C. daveyi occidentalis Libert, 2020. Stempfferia michelliberti and S. zelza show surprisingly similar distribution pattern (Fig. 10) with rather accurate overlap of the two with the postulated glacial forest refugia as discussed and illustrated in Maley (1996), Robbrecht (1996) and van Rompaey (1996). These refugia form part of the Liberian subregion or serve as a secondary centre of distribution for several restricted-range taxa e. g. Euriphene veronica (Stoll, 1780), E. leonis (Aurivillius, 1899), Euptera dorothea warrengashi Libert, 2002 and Ceratrichia crowleyi Riley, 1925 (Larsen 2005). Alongside the observed morphological differences, S. michelliberti can be recognized and delineated on the basis of evolutionary criteria highlighting the extrinsic biogeographic barriers as defined in de Queiroz, 2008.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A0D31DD31EA0BADFA30.taxon	type_taxon	Type-species: Epitola cephena Hewitson, 1873, by original designation.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A1231DD30D10B89FDD6.taxon	description	(Figs 11 C, D, 12 A, D; 15)	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A1231DD30D10B89FDD6.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype: • ♂ LIBERIA, Grand Gedeh County, Mount Jideh Ridge, Putu Range 18. XII. 2012 Leg.: Sáfián, Sz., Tropek, R. Coordinates: 5 ° 38 ’ 23.32 » N, 8 ° 11 ’ 7.60 » W, altitude: 700 - 760 m asl. ANHRT unique ID number: ANHRTUK 00056662. Gen. prep.: SAFI 00384. Deposited in ANHRT.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A1231DD30D10B89FDD6.taxon	description	Description. Forewing length: 13 mm. Wingspan: 25 mm. Forewing shape typical for Cephetola, triangular with acute apex and slightly convex, curving outer margin. Upperside colour dark chocolate brown with no pattern and blue scales (Fig. 11 C). Underside slightly lighter brown with large blackish-brown patch on forewing, covering spaces 1 B, 2, 3, 4 and almost entire cell with 1 mm lighter brown margin near outer edge of wing. Shades of lunules visible in apex. Hindwing underside with 0.5 mm broad dark brown central band across wing from the costa, broadens to 1.5 mm spot in cell before tapering down towards inner margin. Shades of darker lunules along wing margin visible. Body brown, darker on top, lighter below (Fig 11 D). Antennae, legs black, chequered with white. Male genitalia. 1.3 mm along dorsoventral axis. Slender and rather simple, similar to other species in the group. No coremata. Tegumen broad, uncus triangular in lateral view, sub-unci angled, slender, longer arm slightly upcurving. Valva broadening from base, broadest in the outer third, narrows down to rounded, blunt tip. Its dorsal edge rounded, ventral edge almost straight. Saccus slender, shorter than half the length of the valva (Fig. 12 A). Aedeagus typical to many species in the genus, spear-shaped with triangular tooth on dorsal edge, broad in the middle. Anterior end rounded, tip sharply tapering (Fig. 12 B). Female. Unknown.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A1231DD30D10B89FDD6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. In West Africa, C. obscura is one of two other species in the genus, where males appear with only scattered blue scaling on the upper wing surface (Figs 11 E – H), and sometimes completely brown specimens also occur. However, C. obscura lacks any dark brown central band on the hindwing underside, which is otherwise known to be present in C. orientalis (Roche, 1954), which has also extensive blue pattern on the upperside. The other one is C. obscuralis, a newly described species (Libert 2020), closely related to C. praecox. C. praecox has a narrower central band on the hindwing, which broadens in the cell, while the central band on the hindwing of C. obscuralis is relatively of even width. Their male genitalia are also similar, with the difference in the shape of valva, which is broadest in the middle in C. obscuralis, and is broadest in the outer third towards the tip with narrower base in C. praecox in lateral view (Fig. 12).	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A1231DD30D10B89FDD6.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Qualifying adjective when the neuter adjective is compounded with a feminine generic name where gender agreement is not required (Art. 31.2.3). The name praecox refers to the males’ early morning activity, which is not well documented in Afrotropical butterflies.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA5E2A1231DD30D10B89FDD6.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known from the type locality in Liberia. Bionomics. The holotype was collected in December 2012 at 7.30 a. m. in the first sunbeam, displaying on the narrow ridge of Mount Jideh in the Putu Range, a unique upland habitat in Eastern Liberia (Fig. 15). It was flying up and down rapidly between 3 to 10 metres high along a tree-trunk with other specimens, normally out of reach. Only the holotype could be collected, and the author was not able to return and secure more specimens. The habitat has since been further altered by mining exploration and the tree trunk along which the males were observed displaying was found completely overgrown by young trees in January 2018, when the author was trying to locate the site on his brief visit. Finding new species in Cephetola is not unique (see Libert 2020), given the scarcity of several known species, the very localised occurrence (many are restricted to individual ant trees), and the fact that majority of species tend to display and rest in higher strata of the canopy (depending on species). They also have synchronised display time, and the activity windows are sometimes extremely short, can be limited to 10 – 20 minutes per day, which could also be the case in C. praecox. Also, the males seem to display very early in the morning, when no butterfly activity is expected and therefore field lepidopterists are rarely out during this time. It is also important to emphasize that the Putu Range in Eastern Liberia lies in a unique geographical position facing the humid air masses blown from the Atlantic Ocean by the south-westerly winds, which result in rather generally distribute high annual rainfall in the area. Putu is also known to harbour an incredibly rich and unique butterfly fauna based on Sáfián’s field studies between 2010 and 2018 (unpublished), including two further species, which were found exclusively on the ridge of Mount Jideh in upland forest: Iolaus jadwigae Sáfián, 2017 (Sáfián 2017) and Liptena nr. batesana (Sáfián unpublished) and other restricted-range taxa associated with upland forest: Abantis ja usheri Collins & Larsen, 2008, Telchinia kraka kraka (Aurivillius, 1893), Pilodeudorix putu Sáfián, 2015, P. intermedia Sáfián, 2015 (Sáfián et al. 2015). Note: The status of the single female from Southern Cameroon mentioned and illustrated by Libert (2020) and its the locality on Fig. 15 as C. obscuralis ssp. could not be assessed.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA412A1031DD37AF0BACF85F.taxon	description	(Figs 13 A – D; 14 A, C; 15)	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA412A1031DD37AF0BACF85F.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype: • ♂ LIBERIA, Lofa County, Wologizi Mountains, Belegizi Ridge and summit Mountains general collecting, 8 ° 7 ’ 27.24 » N, 9 ° 56 ’ 10.91 » W, 1000 - 1086 m, 4 – 9. XI. 2018 Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. Leg. ANHRT unique ID number: ANHRTUK 00058086. Gen. prep. SAFI 00385. Deposited in ANHRT. Paratype: • ♂ LIBERIA, Lofa County, Wologizi Mountains, Belegizi Ridge and summit Mountains general collecting, 8 ° 7 ’ 27.24 » N, 9 ° 56 ’ 10.91 » W, 1000 - 1086 m, 4 – 9. XI. 2018 Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. Leg. ANHRT unique ID number: ANHRTUK 00058083. Deposited in ANHRT.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA412A1031DD37AF0BACF85F.taxon	description	Description. Forewing length: ca. 15 mm. Wingspan: ca. 28.5 mm. Wing shape typical of Cephetola triangular with acute apex and slightly convex, curving outer margin. Upperside completely black with extensive deep metallic blue sheen on hindwing. Only scattered blue scales present on forewing (Fig. 13 A). Underside dark brown with extensive graphite-grey in post-median on hindwing, also two zig-zagging grey submarginal lines and other grey spotting at hindwing base. Forewing with grey gently curving submarginal line, connected to an inner zig-zagging line. Further grey dusting present in median and base (Fig. 13 B). Legs and palpi dark brown, ringed with grey, eyes black, hairless, smooth. Antennae black ringed with grey, their club black with ochre tip. Male genitalia. Medium, 1.5 mm along dorsoventral axis. Slender and rather simple, similar to other species in the group. Coremata missing. Tegumen narrow, uncus triangular in lateral view, sub-unci angled, very slender, tip of longer arm very slightly upcurving. Valva triangular, broadening from base, broadest in the middle, narrows down to the dorsally pointy tip. The valva’s ventral edge slightly sinuous. Saccus slender, shorter than half the length of the valva (Fig. 14 A). Aedeagus typical to many species in the genus, spear-shaped with triangular tooth on dorsal edge, broader in the middle. Anterior end rounded, tip narrows down acutely (Fig. 14 C).	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA412A1031DD37AF0BACF85F.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Masculine noun in apposition. The name refers to the species’ type locality, the Wologizi Mountains. The mountains and the surrounding lowland forests are proposed to be protected to conserve the rich wildlife of Liberia. Female. Unknown.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA412A1031DD37AF0BACF85F.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis. The only Cephetola with similar silvery-grey dusting on the hindwing underside with limited blue spotting on the forewing upperside is C. aureliae, which is known only from Eastern DRC. The two rather prominent blue spots on the forewing of C. aureliae immediately sets it aside from the Liberian C. wologizi, which lacks any blue spots on its forewing with only a few blue scattered scales present. The recently described, similar species C. wingae Sáfián, 2015 lacks silvery-grey scaling on its underside. The unique shape of valva with the strongly hooked tip sets it aside from any known Cephetola species. Bionomics. The holotype and the only paratype were captured during display flight on a hilltop at 1000 m asl. in the Wologizi Mountains (Fig. 15) displaying rather high at lower canopy level in a fire-disturbed upland forest between 9.30 and 10.00 a. m. The species was replaced by the slightly larger C. doleta (Kirby, 1890) just before 10.00 with slight overlap in their display time. Males of other Epitola s. l. species also frequented the same hilltop; C. pinodes (Druce, 1890), C. subcoerulea (Roche, 1954), Stempfferia ciconia (Grose-Smith & Kirby, [1892]), S. moyambina, S. katikae Sáfián, 2015 were all collected on the same day (Sáfián et al. 2020 a), as well as a single specimen of Iridana agneshorvathae Collins, Larsen & Sáfián, 2008 (Sáfián et al. 2020 b).	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
03BD9F74FA412A1031DD37AF0BACF85F.taxon	discussion	Remarks. C. wologizi has no close relative in West Africa. Actually, the only similar-looking species, C. aureliae with very different genitalia, is known from a few specimens: The holotype of that species was collected in savannah-forest mosaic in the Semuliki Valley at the foothills of Rwenzori in the DRC (Libert 1999), other specimens were captured in mid-altitude forest near Djugu (Ducarme 2018) some 4600 km from the type locality of C. wologizi. Since most species of smaller Epitola s. l. are often difficult to collect, it would not be appropriate to even guess about the distribution of C. wologizi. However, its occurrence in the upland zone of Wologizi Mountains would predict its presence in other mountainous localities in the Guinea Highlands, particularly in the Nimba Mountains, where another undescribed species of Cephetola, C. wingae Sáfián, 2015 was recently found. C. wingae has since been recorded also in the Wologizi Mountains, not far from the type locality of C. wologizi (Sáfián 2020). Other ‘ Nimba specials’ such as Hypolimnas aubergeri Hecq, 1987, Euphaedra aubergeri Hecq, 1977, Bettonula bettoni nimba (Collins & Larsen, 2000) have also been found in Wologizi (Sáfián et al. 2020 b), indicating wider distribution of such pre-montane and upland elements of the Guinea Highlands.	en	Sáfián, Szabolcs, Collins, Steve, Warren-Gash, Haydon, Belcastro, Claudio (2021): Description of five new species of Epitola sensu lato (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Poritiinae) from West and Central Africa. Zootaxa 4981 (3): 554-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.7
