Introduction

The evidence supporting the division between the two subtribes of Adoliadini is biogeographical–Adolianina are distributed from India to New Guinea, while Bebearina are Afrotropical. Preliminary molecular data (Wahlberg unpubl.) support this pattern.

A great deal of revisionary work has been conducted recently on various speciose genera in Bebearina, resulting in a startling number of new species. It is unusual that so many new species are still to be discovered in butterflies, even those that dwell in tropical African forests.