Descriptions of seven new Pilodeudorix

Recent field surveys and genetic analysis have uncovered seven new species of the butterfly genus Pilodeudorix (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) across equatorial Africa, including three from West African upland forests and four from East and Central Africa. Notably, DNA sequencing revealed a 3.5% divergence between central/eastern and western populations of P. virgata, indicating cryptic species diversity. The study, conducted by Sáfián et al. (2025), combines morphological and genetic data to describe these new taxa, expanding our understanding of biodiversity in regions like Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda, and the East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia.

Sáfián, S., Collins, S. C., & Libert, M. (2025). Descriptions of seven new Pilodeudorix. Druce, 1891 from equatorial Africa (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae). Metamorphosis, 26(1), 62–78. https://doi.org/10.4314/met.v26i1.13