Sesamia madagascariensis Saalmüller, 1891

Hévin, Noémie M. C., Kergoat, Gael J., Zilli, Alberto, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Musyoka, Boaz K., Sezonlin, Michel, Conlong, Desmond, Van Den Berg, Johnnie, Ndemah, Rose, Le Gall, Philippe, Cugala, Domingos, Nyamukondiwa, Casper, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Njaku, Mohamedi, Goftishu, Muluken, Assefa, Yoseph, Kandonda, Onésime Mubenga, Bani, Grégoire, Molo, Richard, Chipabika, Gilson, Ong’amo, George, Clamens, Anne-Laure, Barbut, Jérôme & Le Ru, Bruno, 2024, Revisiting the taxonomy and molecular systematics of Sesamia stemborers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Apameini: Sesamiina): updated classification and comparative evaluation of species delimitation methods, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 82, pp. 447-501 : 447-501

Sesamia madagascariensis Saalmüller, 1891

Figures 2 K – N ; 3 D, K ; 4 C ; 6

Sesamia madagascariensis – Saalmüller (1891: 262), Hampson (1910: 325), Warren (1911: 240), Tams and Bowden (1953: 663, figs 15–17), Rungs (1954: 159, 161,162, fig. 4, Planche VIII, figs 3, 6, 8), Viette (1967: 700, figs 543–544).

Type material.

Lectotype ♀, [ MADAGASCAR], [Madagascar Nord], Nosy Be , [A.] Stumpff, [18] 85, P. Viette gen. n ° 2552 [no. 19 in box], Paratypoid, SMF-L. 559, selected by Rungs (l. c., 1954: 161), Fotografiert 2014 H. Thöny, Senckenberg Museum, (Frankfurt a [m]. Main) ; Paralectotype ♀, [ MADAGASCAR], Nossi-Bé , [A.] Stumpff, [18] 85, Lep. 559 a, Senckenberg Museum, (Frankfurt a [m]. Main) ; Paralectotype ♀, Madag. [ascar], Loucoubé , [A.] Stumpff, [18] 80, Typus, 20, Lep. 559 x, [Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am. Main] .

Other material.

MADAGASCAR: six ♂, five ♀, Tananarivo, Nanisana , XII. 1931, Madame d’Olsoufieff, ♂ Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1263 , ♀ Agrotidae genitalia slide No 1229 , ( NHM) ; two ♀, Madagascar, Nossi-Bé , 1932, coll. C. Dumont, ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Madagascar nord, Nossi-Bé , forêt de Lokobe , alt. 150 m a. s. l., 3 au 9. XI. 1958, coll. P. Viette, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar, Tananarive , 1913, Waterlot, Ch. Rungs gen. 40 MP. 40, ( MNHN) ; two ♀, Madagascar Centr ., Tananarive , Plateaux de l’Imerina , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., Chasse n ° 57 du 23 / 24. XI. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, Ch. Rungs gen. MP. 28, genitalia P. Viette prép. N ° 4382, ( MNHN) ; two ♀, [Madagascar] Tananarive , Tsimbazaza , 10. XII. 1954, P. Viette, ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Madagascar S ,, env. de Betroka , 19. vi. 1954, (Dr. E. Diehl), [ MNHN] ; one ♀, Madagascar Centre , La Mandraka , 1200 m a. s. l., 10 / 13. III. 1964, P. Viette, ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 44 du 31. X. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, Sesamia madagascariensis Saalm. Form cannella Rungs Holotype, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 101 du 18. I. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, Sesamia madagascariensis Saalm. Form cannella Rungs Allotype, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 59 du 25. XI. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 66 du 3. XII. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 67 du 4. XII. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, MNHN) ; one ♂, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 84 du 24 / 26. XII. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, Ch. Rungs gen. MP. 2, ( MNHN) ; one ♂, one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 93 du 6. I. 1952, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 94 du 9. I. 1952, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 96 du 10. I. 1952, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 103 du 19. I. 1952, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina , Tananarive , Parc de Tsimbazaza , Alt. 1200 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 109 du 28. I. 1952, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Sud, env. d’Ifotaka, forêt d’Alluaudia , Alt. 150 m a. s. l., P. Viette n- 91, Jour. 1. I. 1952, ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Madagascar Centr., Massif de l’Ankaratra , Manjakatompo , Forêt d’Ambahona , Alt. 1850 m a. s. l., P. Viette, Chasse n ° 41 du 26. X. 1951, Mission P. Viette sept. 1951 – Mars 1952, Ch. Rungs gen. MP. 27, ( MNHN) ; three ♀, Madagascar Est, pourtour 3 ème Réserve national [e], route de Manakambahiny , env. de Nosivola, Alt. 1000 m a. s. l., P. Viette, le 17 / 18 / 19. XI. [19] 54, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar Est, env. Périnet, forêt d’Analamazoatra , Alt. 910 m a. s. l., P. Viette le 17. III. 1955, ( MNHN) ; three ♂, six ♀, [Madagascar Centr., Plateaux de l’Imerina, Tananarive, Parc de] Tsimbazaza , [Alt. 1200 m a. s. l.], P. Viette, 1 / 2 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 XII. 1954, [ MNHN] ; three ♀, Madagascar, Tananarive , 1914, Waterlot, ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Madagascar, Tananarive , 12. XII. [19] 27, Coll. R. Decary, ( MNHN) .

Diagnosis.

(See also the identification key of calamistis species subgroup, section 3.3. 2.). This species can be distinguished from the other known members of the calamistis subgroup by the combination of the following characters of the male and female genitalia: vinculum u-shaped at the outer margin, w-shaped at the inner margin with an indentation, with a large saccus; apical extension of the sacculus almost as long as the cucullus; juxta large and conical, pointed at apex, the sides rounded, the superior plate wide and long; phallus short; vesica with a small, slightly ridged, mid-ventral cornutus; ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 twice as long as wide; ostium bursae small, transverse, in the shape of a semicircle, strongly sclerotized, with small pointed tips on each side; ductus bursae short, asymmetrically sclerotized posteriorly; ovipositor lobes at least three times longer than wide.

Description.

(Fig. 2 K – N ). The external morphology of adults of both sexes has been described in great detail by Tams and Bowden (1953), Rungs (1954) and Viette (1967). The ground colour of the forewing can vary from cartridge-buff to dark ochraceous, but most of the examined specimens are rather ochraceous. — Forewing length: male 28–34 mm (x ̅ = 31.7 mm, N = 7); female 29–40 mm (x ̅ = 35.9 mm, N = 16). — Male genitalia (Fig. 3 D, K ). Tegumen with moderate peniculi; vinculum u-shaped at the outer margin, w-shaped at the inner margin with an indentation, with a large saccus. Valve with sacculus and cucullus separate; costa short and narrow, heavily sclerotized, ending with a long curved spine, slightly bending outward, with an apical tooth; sacculus heavily sclerotized rounded at base with an indentation, a thick and elongated apical extension almost as long as the cucullus, adorned outwards with rows of short stout spines, pointed at apex; cucullus long, weakly sclerotized, slightly clavate at apex, with scattered and papillated hairs; juxta large and conical, pointed at apex, the sides rounded, the superior plate wide and long; uncus angled and stout at base, narrowed in distal part, pointed at apex, tufted with long hairs on upper side; phallus short, dilated at base; lamina ventralis with an elongate carinal crest; vesica with a small, slightly ridged, mid-ventral cornutus. — Female genitalia (Fig. 4 C ). Apophyses anteriores with large spatulate tips; ventrolateral plates of segment A 8 twice as long as wide; ostium bursae small, transverse, in the shape of a semicircle, strongly sclerotized, with small pointed tips on each side; ductus bursae short, asymmetrically sclerotized posteriorly; corpus bursae long, without signa; ovipositor lobes at least three times longer than wide with dorsal surface bearing numerous short and stout setae, the ventral side of each lobe almost straight, tooth-shaped; apophyses posteriors more slender than apophyses anteriores.

Distribution.

Madagascar. Known from localities belonging to different vegetation mosaics (‘ lowland rain forest wetter types’ (Mosaic # 1 b), ‘ cultivation and secondary grassland, replacing upland and montane forest’ (Mosaic # 18) and ‘ dry deciduous forest and secondary grassland’ (Mosaic # 22 b )) ( White 1983) (Fig. 6 ).

Ecology.

Unknown.

Remarks.

In his revision of the genus Sesamia from Madagascar, Rungs (1954) noted that specimens collected in the highlands are much darker (and slightly reddish) than the lectotype and other specimens collected in the coastal area of Nossi-Be; he named them the cannella form.

Figures

Figure 2. Adults of the calamistis subgroup (S. calamistis, S. kabirara sp. nov., S. kalale sp. nov., S. madagascariensis, S. mapalense sp. nov., S. monodi, S. oriaula and S. teke sp. nov.). S. calamistis: A male upper side; B male underside; C female upper side; D female underside; S. kabirara sp. nov.: E male upper side; F male underside, G female upper side; H female underside; S. kalale sp. nov.: I male upper side; J male underside; S. madagascariensis: K male upper side; L male underside, M female upper side; N female underside; S. mapalense sp. nov.: O male upper side; P male underside, Q female upper side; R female underside; S. monodi: S male upper side; T male underside; U original label type from MNHN; S. oriaula: V male upper side; W male underside; X female upper side; Y female underside; S. teke sp. nov.: Z female upper side; AA female underside. Scale bar = 10 mm.

Figure 3. Male genitalia of members of the calamistis subgroup, with the vesica inside the phallus. S. calamistis: A apparatus; H phallus; S. kabirara sp. nov.: B apparatus; I phallus; S. kalale sp. nov.: C apparatus; J phallus; S. madagascariensis: D apparatus; K phallus; S. mapalense: E apparatus; L phallus; S. monodi: F apparatus; M phallus (poorly prepared, damaged); S. oriaula: G apparatus; N phallus. Scale bar = 1 mm for apparatus and 0.5 mm for phalli.

Figure 4. Female genitalia of members of the calamistis subgroup. A S. calamistis; B S. kabirara sp. nov.; C S. madagascariensis; D S. mapalense sp. nov.; E S. oriaula; F S. teke sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Figure 6. Distribution map of sampled specimens of the calamistis subgroup, with the exception of S. calamistis specimens.