An analysis of 25 African lycaenid genera shows that variation between species in the morphology of male genitalia is greater in non-ant-associated genera than in ant-associated genera. This phenomenon is presented and discussed as a preliminary note to a more thorough investigation.

Orophily is defined, and several examples are given of the difficulty of asserting the orophilic character of a given species. Data published in 1991 on the butterfly fauna of the Cameroon Highlands is updated and confirms both a relatively low diversity and a surprisingly low proportion of orophilic species. The very low degree of differentiation of at least 75% of these species indicates a recent isolation; the term “Cameroonian oro-endemic” is defined and shown to apply to only about 13% of orophilic species. A comparison between these two groups suggests that the hypothesis of a continuous montane forest belt across the continent is not necessary to explain the present disjunctions in the distribution of orophilic butterflies.

Following a brief discussion of the importance of Lepidoptera in relation to human welfare and the so-called 'biodiversity crisis', an overview of our limited understanding of their diversity in the Afrotropics is presented.  After 250 years, how far have we got with the task of knowing Africa's butterflies and moths?  How many families and species of Lepidoptera exist within the limits of the Afrotropical Region?  Given the urgent need for effective conservation planning and management, it is evident that we should make a concerted effort to assess the Lepidoptera of Africa through the catalogue-revision cycle, and make this knowledge available through new and improved field and laboratory guides.  Some ways in which information technology can help with these tasks are outlined.  With appropriate systems and good leadership, vital data on the distribution and biology of Africa's many thousands of butterflies and moths can be gathered and analysed on a large scale.  Such a programme is fundamental to any serious attempt to ensure survival of the full diversity of African Lepidoptera, through the 21st century and beyond.

The purpose of this communication is first and foremost of a practical nature, in that it aims to provide an overview over current systematic research being conducted on the moths of the Afrotropical Region. As such the paper was intended to serve as something of a counterpoint at the launch of an institute primarily dedicated to butterfly research. At any rate I was heartened to see that several of the other delegates present had an interest in moths.

        In addition, I will take a brief look at who practices taxonomy and systematics nowadays and in the past, and at the value accorded these disciplines in European and African cultures, as well as the resulting implications for conservation in an African context.