Sesamia teke Le Ru, 2024

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 teke Le Ru sp. nov.

Figures 2 Z – AA; 4 F, 6

Type material.

Holotype ♀, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, Plateau Province , Lefini River, 02 ° 54 ′ 30 ″ S, 15 ° 37 ′ 46 ″ E, 320 m a. s. l., X. 2013, ex light trap., gen. Prep. LE RU Bruno / 582, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) .

Diagnosis.

(See also the identification key of calamistis species subgroup, section 3.3. 2.). This species is only known by the female holotype. It can be distinguished from the other known members of the calamistis subgroup by the combination of the following characters of the female genitalia: ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 at least three times longer than wide; ostium bursae small, transverse, strongly sclerotized, funnel-shaped with elongated and pointed tip on each side and a posterior thick convex bead; ductus bursae short, almost ovoid and strongly sclerotized posteriorly.

Description.

(Fig. 2 Z – AA). Antenna pale ochraceous, filiform, flagellum adorned dorsally with light ochraceous scales; palpus light ochraceous; eyes brown; palpus ochraceous; eyes brown. Head and thorax covered with ochraceous hairs. Legs ochraceous. Forewing light ochraceous lightly suffused with fuscous scales; a longitudinal ochraceous fascia along lower margin of cell, partly within, partly without cell from base of cell to the subterminal line; outer margin adorned with brown spots between the veins, fringe light buff. Hindwing white lightly pink ochre in the apex and termen areas, fringe concolor (white), basal line of fringe pinkish ochre. Underside of forewing light buff, heavily suffused with fuscous scales in apex and termen areas, fringe buff suffused with fuscous scales; underside of hindwing white, slightly pinkish ochre suffused with fuscous scales in costal and apical areas, fringe concolor (white). — Forewing length: female 24 mm (N = 1). — Female genitalia (Fig. 3 F ). Apophyses anteriores with spatulate tips; ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 lightly sclerotized, elongated, at least three times longer than wide; ostium bursae small, transverse, strongly sclerotized, funnel-shaped with elongated and pointed tip on each side and a posterior thick convex bead; ductus bursae short and broad, almost ovoid and strongly 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 slightly curved and tooth-shaped; apophyses posteriores more slender than apophyses anteriores.

Etymology. Named after the Plateau Teke in the Republic of Congo where the species was found; treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Republic of Congo. Only known from a single locality belonging to the ‘ lowland rain forest and secondary grassland’ (Mosaic # 11 a) vegetation mosaic ( White 1983) (Fig. 6 ) belonging to the Congolian bioregion (sensu Linder et al. 2012).

Ecology. Unknown.

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