Contribution à la connaissance des Sphingidae de République démocratique du Congo (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae)

"New data on the Sphingidae of the Democratic Republic of Congo are presented, together with the taxonomic changes that result regarding the African fauna. The genera treated are Polyptychus Hübner, 1819, Antinephele Holland, 1889, Temnora Walker, 1856, Hypaedalea Butler, 1877, Hippotion Hübner, 1819 and Afrosataspes Basquin & Cadiou, 1986. A new species related to Polyptychus baxteri Rothschild & Jordan, 1908 is described from Tanzania, Polyptychus melichari n. sp., and the synonymy of Polyptychus fractus Melichar & Řezáč, 2018 syn. n with Polyptychus ferroseus Gehlen, 1950 is proposed. The synonymy between Polyptychus affinis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 and Polyptychus modestum Bernardi, 1970 syn. rev. is reinstated. The list of the species of the “nigriplaga complex” is updated. The Temnora scitula (Holland, 1889) species group is revisited and three taxa are raised to the rank of species: Temnora pindurensis Melichar & Řezáč, 2014, status rev., bona sp.; Temnora stanislavi Melichar & Řezáč, 2014, status rev., bona sp. and Temnora similis Melichar & Řezáč, 2014, status rev., bona sp. The species of the Antinephele lunulata Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 group are reviewed and new data are provided, resulting in the reinstatement of Antinephele weberi Clark, 1923 status rev., bona species and the raising of Antinephele turlini Darge, 1972 status rev., bona species to species status.

New data are provided for the fauna of Democratic Republic of Congo and adjacent areas for the following species: Antinephele weberi Clark, 1923; Antinephele lunulata Rothschild & Jordan, 1903; Antinephele efulani Clark, 1926; Antinephele muscosa Holland, 1889; Antinephele camerounensis Clark, 1937; Temnora ntombi Darge, 1975; Temnora turlini Darge, 1975; Temnora albilinea Rothschild, 1904; Temnora mirabilis Talbot, 1932; Temnora pindurensis Melichar & Řezáč, 2014; Temnora prokopci Melichar & Řezáč, 2014; Temnora occidentalis Melichar & Řezáč, 2014; Polyptychus sinus Pierre, 1985; Polyptychus rougeoti Bernardi, 1966; Polyptychus bernardii Rougeot, 1966; Hippotion roseipennis (Butler, 1882); Afrosataspes galleyi (Basquin, 1982); Hypaedalea butleri Rothschild, 1894; Hypaedalea insignis Butler, 1877; Hypaedalea lobipennis Strand, 1913; Afrosataspes galleyi (Basquin, 1982). A total of 178 species are now recognized in the fauna of the Democratic Republic of Congo."