Phylogeny and systematics of the Sesamia coniota Hampson species group (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Apameini: Sesamiina), with the description of three new species from the Afrotropical region. Issue 5 (2nd September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Le Ru, Bruno; Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire; Musyoka, Boaz K.; Sezonlin, Michel; Conlong, Desmond; Van Den Berg, Johnnie; Clamens, Anne-Laure; Cugala, Domingos; Nyamukondiwa, Casper; Ong'Amo, George; Kergoat, Gael J.
• Is Part Of: Annales de la Société entomologique de France. Volume 56:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 417
• Page End: 435
• Publication Date: 2020-09-02
• Subjects: host-plants -- molecular phylogenetics -- morphology -- species complex -- morphology -- systematics -- taxonomy; Insects -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.705
• DOI: 10.1080/00379271.2020.1815574
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-9271

Abstract

Summary: In this study, we review six morphologically similar species of Sesamia Guenée, 1852 from Africa, including three new species that are described: Sesamia corymbosus Le Ru n. sp ., S. schoenoplectus Le Ru n. sp . and S. temberma Le Ru n. sp . These six species belong to a species complex that we hereby define as the Sesamia coniota group. Host plants of four species are recorded: Schoenoplectus corymbosus (Roth ex Roem. & Schult.) J. Raynal. for S. corymbosus and S. schoenoplectus, Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitschc. & Chase, Eriochloa meyeriana (Nees) Pilg., Schoenoplectus corymbosus and Typha latifolia L. for S. jansei, Tams & Bowden, 1953 and Pennisetum sp. for S. temberma . We also conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses on a multimarker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 36 specimens (including 32 specimens belonging to the S. coniota group). Molecular analyses allow assessing the phylogenetic relationships of five out of six species of the group.