3. Ptilothyris climacista Meyrick, 1926

(Figs. 6 A–E)

Ptilothyris climacista Meyrick, 1926: 289 . TL: Cameroon. [NHMUK]

Diagnosis. Female (Figs. 6 A–E). Forewing length 9.0 mm. The wing pattern of P. climacista is superficially similar to P. purpurea Walsingham or P. porphyrea Ghesquière, but it can be distinguished by having a semi-ovate, pale orange patch on the forewing, and the hind wing with a similar semi-transparent patch as in P. serangota Meyrick, but the color is pale orange, not white. The species was described based on a single female.

Female genitalia. Dissection of the genitalia of the type in NHMUK could not be prepared, so the genitalia could not be illustrated.

Material examined. [NHMUK]: 1♀ (holotype) (Figs. 6A, B), with the same label data as the type recorded in the original description, “ Cameroon, Bitje, Ja River, Oct. Wet season, G.L Bates.” This specimen also has two additional labels as “ Ptilothyris climacista Meyr. 2/1, E. Meyrick det., In Meyrick Coll”, and “Meyrick Coll. B.M. 1938-290.”

Distribution. Cameroon.

Remarks. In NHMUK, five more specimens, except one specimen (Fig. 6 E-1) which is certainly a misidentification of P. serangota Meyrick, are placed under the name Ptilothyris climacista Meyr (Fig. 6E). One specimen (Fig. 6C) of this series bearing a red tag has four labels (Fig. 6D) as “Afriq. Occid. Johann-Albrechts Höhe Station-Kamerun, L. Conradt, 1896”, “Paravicini Coll. B. M. 1937-383”, “ Ptilothyris climacista Meyr., M 456-157”. Although a red label or tag usually indicates a holotype, it is confirmed that the holotype of P. climacista Meyrick is certainly the specimen in Fig. 6A. It is unfortunate that assigning the rest to this species or even to the genus Ptilothyris could not be done without examining the male genitalia. A further study is needed for the generic placement of this species.