Melphina melphis Holland 1894

[Melphina melphis (Holland)
Parnara melphis Holland, 1894a: 31; pi. 1, fig. 18 (Ogove). This species is represented in Carnegie Museum only by the type, which is a male, not a female as cited in the original description and by Evans (1937: 164) . The latter author cites specimens from Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, suggesting that melphis may be a resident of Liberia though it is unrecorded to date.
? Melphina statira (Mabille) (Figs. 120, 121, 2 )
Pamphila statira Mabille, 1891: 180 (Sierra Leone).
In view of the rather striking lack of sexual dimorphism within the genus it seems inadvisable to follow Evans' (1937: 164) lead in synonymizing argyrodes (Holland, 1894b: 93; pi. 3, fig. 11 [Ogove], as Parnara a. ) with the present species. M. argyrodes is well characterized in our key and is totally unlike any specimens or figures of statira we have seen. The male genitalia of the type of argyrodes coincide with Evans' (1937: 27) figure of those of statira, but fine detail is seldom obtainable from his plates. A similar situation may exist with argyrodes and statira, as is shown in the tarace group. In view of this, it seems advisable to retain argyrodes as a species separate from, but close to statira.
A single Liberian specimen, perhaps the first record for the country and the only specimen in Carnegie Museum, is tentatively assigned to this species. It bears the following data: Harbel, 1 2 , I (Fox).
There are no other specimens in the Museum, so a comparison was necessary with the figure given by Mabille and Vuillot (1893 [18901893]: pi. 16, fig. 2) of the type specimen. The Liberian specimen differs in the following respects: the cell spots are more definitely divided on the forewing, though still conjoined, as in the type; the spots in spaces CU1-CU2 and CU2-A of the forewing are relatively larger and the hindwing does not have the basal cell spot on the under surface that is prominent in the figure of the type, although the Liberian specimen is a bit worn in that area. Despite the cited differences, it seems best to refer the Liberian specimen to statira, but with reservations.

Melphina melphis, the peculiar forest swift, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and possibly Ghana. The habitat consists of forests.