Ceratrichia phocion Fabricius 1781

Ceratrichia phocion (Fabricius) (Fig. 53, 8 genitalia)
Papilio phocion Fabricius, 1781: 138 ("Africa aequinoctiale").
= Cyclopides phocaeus Westwood and Hewitson, 1852 [1846-1852]: 521; proposed to replace phocion thought to be preoccupied.
This is a butterfly of the deep forests, being found in the few open patches of sunlight scattered along forest paths. It is one of the commonest African hesperiids throughout its range. Its association with forest clearings is especially stressed by Birket-Smith (1960b: 12711272). Mr. T. G. Howarth tells us (in lit.) that the Fabrician type of phocion, which is in the British Museum, is from Sierra Leone, so Liberian material is typical as contrasted with the larger and darker specimens from Cameroon, Rio Muni and Gabon. Evans (1937: 101 ) records phocion from Senegal to Gabon.
Liberia: Diyala, 2 8 (Picard, 1950: 626) ; Harbel, 1 5 , 1, 2 $ , II,
XII; Fish Lake, 1 8 , L 1 8 , XII; trail near Fisabu, 1 8 , III, 2 8 , 1 9 , XII; Zorzor, 4 8 , XI; Ganta, 5 8 , II, 7 8,2 9 , V, 5 8 , 1 9 , VI, 3 8,2 9 , VII, 1 8 , VIII, 1 8, IX; Wanau Forest, 1 8 , V, 4 8 , 1 9 , X; Yendamalahoun, 1 8 , IV (all Fox).

Ceratrichia phocion,also known as the common forest sylph, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. The habitat consists of forests.

Adults are attracted to flowers.