Two distinct species have been previously confused under the name Cupidesthes robusta Aurivillius, 1895. The newly recognised species is described here as C. ultramarina sp. nov., occurring from central Cameroon to northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In contrast, C. robusta has only been observed from western Cameroon to Liberia, where a recently collected male specimen has enabled the description of a new subspecies, C. robusta marginata ssp. nov., endemic to West Africa.

Résumé:       Deux espèces distinctes ont été jusqu’à présent confondues sous le nom de Cupidesthes robusta Aurivillius, 1895. La nouvelle espèce, qui est décrite ici sous le nom de C. ultramarina sp. nov., est présente du centre du Cameroun au nord-est de la République démocratique du Congo. Par contre, C. robusta n’a été observé que de l'ouest du Cameroun au Liberia, où un mâle récemment capturé a permis la description d'une nouvelle sous-espèce, C. robusta marginata ssp. nov., endémique d’Afrique occidentale.

The identity of Botis bicolor Swainson, [1821] is established, and topotypes are designated. Externally similar species from Africa are studied: the identity of Diaphania perspicillalis (Zeller, 1852), bona spec, stat. rev., comb. nov., and of Diaphania desmialis (Mabille, 1900) comb. nov. is discussed; and a new species Diaphania unipunctalis sp. nov. is described from South Africa. The synonymy of all species is discussed as is their distribution, and some remarks on the generic placement are given. Illustrations are given for the adult moths, genitalia and tympanal organs.

Whilst range expansions out of Africa and Europe into the Middle East are frequently attributed to climate change, some recently recorded occurrences are more likely a result of anthropogenic activities.

Moreau’s Tanganyika-Nyasa Montane Chain is a series of mountain ranges running from south-eastern Kenya, south and west through Tanzania, and thence southwards through Malawi and extreme north-western Zambia to Mulanje Mountain in southern Malawi. These mountain ranges are the links in Moreau’s Tanganyika-Nyasa Montane Chain (the Chain). This is examined in terms of a series of butterfly Centres of Endemism. Butterflies endemic to the Chain are listed and distributions within it are examined. Neighbouring butterfly Centres of Endemism are used as counterfactuals to test the validity of the Chain, and butterflies endemic to these centres are also listed. The southernmost mountains of the Chain are found to belong to the South East Africa Montane Archipelago ecoregion, while the more northerly part of the Chain, from the Taita Hills in Kenya to the Nyika Plateau west of Lake Malawi, is found to be divide naturally into two overlapping Centres of Endemism, separated by altitude: the Eastern Arc Mountains of southern Kenya and Tanzania, and the ‘Tanzania – Malawi Highlands’; the former is already known but the latter we now identify as a new butterfly Centre of Endemism. Connecting the links in the Chain is shared butterfly endemism between the individual mountain blocks, enabling the identification and delineation of Centres of Endemism. The important endemic butterfly fauna of the adjoining Zanzibar – Inhambane Coastal Forest Mosaic, the Eastern Africa Coastal Zone, is separated from that of the montane highlands inland, and is discussed. This study shows that few otherwise locally endemic species have distributions which transgress from neighbouring Centres of Endemism into the Chain or vice versa. Conservation issues are considered.

Forest fragments in a human-dominated landscape are threatened by anthropogenic activities, especially in regions with high population growth, like Rwanda. Such is the case of the Ibanda Makera forest fragment, which is threatened by human activities, including agricultural encroachment, and drought. To mitigate these threats, an effort has been made to protect the forest’s indigenous plant and animal species. In this regard, a study has been undertaken to document the butterfly diversity within the forest to obtain baseline data for future monitoring of environmental change and forest restoration. Butterfly specimens were collected in May and June 2023 using hand sweep nets along transects, baited traps, and opportunistic sampling. A first species checklist of 112 butterfly species is reported from the forest. More sampling is clearly needed; our results showed a bias towards large-bodied species and two important butterfly families Lycaenidae (eight species) and Heperiidae (four species) were under sampled. Additional studies are required to compliment this first baseline assessment, including surveys of additional areas and habitats within the Ibanda Makera forest remnant, and spanning seasonal times.