Sesamia veronica Moyal, 2011
Leucania incerta – Walker (1856: 103) . Sesamia incerta – Tams and Bowden (1953: 676) , Poole (1989: 907 [catalogue]) . Sesamia veronica – ( Moyal (2011: 424) .
Sesamia incerta – Tams and Bowden (1953: 676)
Poole (1989: 907
Sesamia veronica – ( Moyal (2011: 424)
Revisiting the taxonomy and molecular systematics of Sesamia stemborers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Apameini: Sesamiina): updated classification and comparative evaluation of species delimitation methods
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
Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny
2024
2024-06-13
82
447
501
4WYQT
(Walker, 1856)
Walker
1856
Insecta
Noctuidae
Sesamia
Animalia
Lepidoptera
Arthropoda
species
incerta
Figures 5 F; 7 I – L; 8 C, N; 9 C, 10
= Sesamia veronica Moyal, 2011 syn. nov. Leucania incerta – Walker (1856: 103). Sesamia incerta– Tams and Bowden (1953: 676), Poole(1989: 907[catalogue]). Sesamia veronica– ( Moyal (2011: 424).
Type material. Holotype ♀, [ REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA], S, [outh] Africa, Sir A. Smith.44–6, Agrotidaegenitalia slide No. 1233, ( NHM).
Other material. REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: three ♂, two ♀, NorthWest Province, Potchefstroom, Boskop Dam, 26 ° 30 ′ 54 ″ S, 27 ° 07 ′ 25 ″ E, 1403 ma. s. l., II. 2006– II. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., male gen. prep. MP 29, female gen. prep. MP 30, these two specimens were used to describe the holotype and the paratype of S. veronica Moyal, 2011, however with wrong data for the GPS coordinates and dates of collection, ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); four ♂, four ♀, Western Cape Province, Olifants River, 33 ° 37 ′ 32 ″ S, 22 ° 13 ′ 15 ″ E, 302 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♂, one ♀, Western Cape Province, Swartberg, R 401- 15 km, 34 ° 09 ′ 02 ″ S, 19 ° 28 ′ 40 ″ E, 283 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♂, Free State Province, Kroonstad, 27 ° 27 ′ 33 ″ S, 27 ° 06 ′ 35 ″ E, 1329 ma. s. l., II. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, two ♀, Western Cape Province, Heidelberg, 34 ° 05 ′ 49 ″ S, 20 ° 57 ′ 54 ″ E, 80 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♂, five ♀, Western Cape Province, Melkbosstrand, 33 ° 42 ′ 16 ″ S, 18 ° 27 ′ 22 ″ E, 29 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♀, Mpumalanga Province, Dullstroom, 25 ° 25 ′ 18 ″ S, 30 ° 06 ′ 06 ″ E, 2013 ma. s. l., II. 2006, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Western Cape Province, Darling, 33 ° 22 ′ 31 ″ S, 18 ° 22 ′ 47 ″ E, 110 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♀, Free State Province, Winburg, 28 ° 31 ′ 01 ″ S, 27 ° 00 ′ 44 ″ E, 1420 ma. s. l., I. 2007, ex larvae in stems of P. australis, ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, Western Cape Province, Velddrif, 32 ° 47 ′ 24 ″ S, 18 ° 11 ′ 24 ″ E, 10 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); five ♂, three ♀, Free State Province, RietVlei, 33 ° 50 ′ 13 ″ S, 18 ° 31 ′ 11 ″ E, 14 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., male gen. Prep. LE RU Bruno / 226, ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♂, Northern Cape Province, Kimberley, 28 ° 42 ′ 17 ″ S, 24 ° 46 ′ 22 ″ E, 1180 ma. s. l., II. 2011, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); three ♂, four ♀, Western Cape Province, George, N 12 x N 9, 33 ° 47 ′ 02 ″ S, 22 ° 20 ′ 04 ″ E, 493 ma. s. l., II. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., male gen. Prep. LE RU Bruno / 225, ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); five ♂, eight ♀, Eastern Cape Province, Queenstown, 31 ° 55 ′ 24 ″ S, 26 ° 49 ′ 46 ″ E, 1041 ma. s. l., XI. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Free State Province, Parys2, 26 ° 53 ′ 45 ″ S, 27 ° 27 ′ 15 ″ E, 1369 ma. s. l., II. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., female gen. Prep. LE RU Bruno / 316, ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Free State Province, Stilfontein, 26 ° 54 ′ 15 ″ S, 26 ° 48 ′ 37 ″ E, 1395 ma. s. l., III. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, Free State Province, Bloemhof Dam, 29 ° 39 ′ 36 ″ S, 25 ° 40 ′ 06 ″ E, 1237 ma. s. l., II. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Free State Province, Oudedorp, 26 ° 35 ′ 03 ″ S, 27 ° 04 ′ 18 ″ E, 1373 ma. s. l., II. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, one ♀, Mpumalanga Province, Middelburg-N 4, 25 ° 40 ′ 20 ″ S, 29 ° 43 ′ 10 ″ E, 1610 ma. s. l., XII. 2010, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, North West Province, Baberspan, 26 ° 34 ′ 02 ″ S, 25 ° 35 ′ 39 ″ E, 1357 ma. s. l., X. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); three ♂, four ♀, Western Cape Province, Wellington, Hauptfleisch, 33 ° 37 ′ 25 ″ S, 18 ° 58 ′ 18 ″ E, 100 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♂, Western Cape Province, Heuningnes River, 34 ° 41 ′ 24 ″ S, 20 ° 01 ′ 57 ″ E, 15 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Western Cape Province, Makassa, 34 ° 03 ′ 45 ″ S, 18 ° 45 ′ 20 ″ E, 12 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Western Cape Province, SoesRivier, 34 ° 20 ′ 38 ″ S, 20 ° 09 ′ 11 ″ E, 95 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, Western Cape Province, Hartenbos, 34 ° 07 ′ 02 ″ S, 22 ° 06 ′ 07 ″ E, 23 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♀, Northwest Province, Bar Baraka, 26 ° 49 ′ 43 ″ S, 27 ° 22 ′ 01 ″ E, 1365 ma. s. l., II. 2014, ex light trap, ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); five ♂, three ♀, Western Cape Province, Waboomskraal, 33 ° 50 ′ 36 ″ S, 22 ° 20 ′ 47 ″ E, 570 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); two ♀, Northwest Province, Harpington, 26 ° 52 ′ 03 ″ S, 27 ° 01 ′ 30 ″ E, 1318 ma. s. l., II. 2006, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, one ♀, Western Cape Province, Karsrivier, 34 ° 29 ′ 09 ″ S, 20 ° 05 ′ 28 ″ E, 40 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN); one ♂, Western Cape Province, Hankey, 33 ° 50 ′ 18 ″ S, 24 ° 52 ′ 34 ″ E, 135 ma. s. l., XII. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) [ MNHN]; four ♂, five ♀, Northern Cape Province, Upington, 28 ° 27 ′ 11 ″ S, 21 ° 15 ′ 54 ″ E, 802 ma. s. l., II. 2016, ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud., ( B. Le Ruleg.) ( MNHN).
Diagnosis. (See also the identification key of incertasubgroup, section 3.4. 2.). This species can be distinguished from the other known members of the incertasubgroup by the combination of the following characters of the male and female genitalia: tegumen with medium-sized, ovoid peniculi; vinculum u-shaped at the outer margin with a large sized saccus, quadrangular; juxta large and conical, the inferior plate shaped like a rounded triangle produced into a sharp point, the sides blunted, the superior plate broad and short, shortly bifid terminally; phallus short and thick, strongly curved in the middle; vesica with a small mushroom-shaped cornutus; ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 large, sclerotized, lozenge-shaped, the anterior side rounded, at least 1.6 times longer than wide; ostium bursae large, funnel-shaped, weakly sclerotized, with pointed tip on each side, the posterior side shaped like a narrow wavy band; ductus bursae with barely visible slightly more sclerotized elongated areas, at least 10 times longer than wide.
Redescription. (Fig. 7 I – L). The species that was described as S. veronicaMoyal et al.from the holotypefemale by Walker (1856)and from a male and a female collected in 2005 (see Moyal et al. 2011) is clearly a synonym of S. incerta. Since 2005, we have collected many S. incertaspecimens in the Republic of South Africaand we are redescribing this species with additional material since the male described in Moyal et al. (2011)is atypical. The general shape of the female forewing is more elongated than that of the male; wing patterns similar in both sexes, but males are generally darker. Antenna ochraceous, serrate in the male, filiform in the female, flagellum adorned dorsally with ochraceous scales in both sexes; palpus light brown; eyes brown. Head and thorax covered with long light ochraceous hairs. Abdomen light buff suffused with fuscous scales. Legs ochraceous suffused with fuscous scales. Forewing ochraceous suffused with brown scales, much more in males; three more or less distinct dark brown spots, one antemedial, one at apex of cell and one postmedial; a more or less distinct longitudinal fuscous fascia along lower margin of cell, partly within, partly without cell from base of cell to the subterminal line; one subterminal line with brown elongated markings on the veins; outer margin adorned with more or less visible brown spots between the veins, fringe ochraceous heavily suffused with brown and fuscous scales, basal line of fringe light ochraceous. Hindwing white extensively suffused with fuscous scales over its entire area, particularly in males, veins suffused with brown scales, four brown elongated markings on the veins, fringe concolor (white), basal line of fringe buff. Underside of forewing ochraceous, heavily suffused with brown scales over its entire area but more heavily in the medial area, one elongated brown marking at apex of the cell, another one below the cell, fringe ochraceous heavily suffused with brown and fuscous scales, in males; underside of forewing pale ochraceous slightly suffused with brown scales, fringe ochraceous suffused with fuscous scales, in females. Underside of hindwing white heavily suffused with brown scales, particularly in costa, apex and termen, outer margin adorned with more or less visible brown spots between the veins, fringe concolor (white), in males; underside of hindwing white slightly suffused with fuscous scales in costal and apical areas, outer margin adorned with more or less visible brown spots between the veins, fringe concolor (white), in females. — Forewing length: male 31–36 mm(x ̅ = 33.5 mm, N = 13); female 38–42 mm(x ̅ = 40.1 mm, N = 13). — Male genitalia(Fig. 8 C, N). Tegumen with medium-sized, ovoid peniculi; vinculum u-shaped at the outer margin and v-shaped at the inner margin without indentation, with a large sized saccus, quadrangular. Valve with sacculus and cucullus separate; costa short and narrow, heavily sclerotized, ending with a stout and short straight spine, sometimes with two small apical teeth; sacculus heavily sclerotized rounded at base, a broad and short apical extension, curved inwards, strongly club-shaped, bearing numerous short and stout spines; cucullus longer than sacculus, weakly sclerotized, slightly clavate at apex, with scattered and papillated hairs; juxta large and conical, the inferior plate shaped like a rounded triangle produced into a sharp point, the sides blunted, the superior plate broad and short, shortly bifid terminally; uncus angled and stout at base, narrowed in distal part, pointed at apex, tufted with long hairs on upper side; phallus short and thick, strongly curved in the middle; lamina ventralis with an elongate carinal crest, produced into paired lateral lobes; vesica with a small mushroom-shaped cornutus. — Female genitalia(Fig. 9 C). Apophyses anteriores with spatulate tips; ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 large, sclerotized, lozenge-shaped, the anterior side rounded, at least 1.6 times longer than wide; ostium bursae large, funnel-shaped, weakly sclerotized, with pointed tip on each side, the posterior side shaped like a narrow wavy band; ductus bursae long and narrow, very slightly sclerotized posteriorly, with barely visible slightly more sclerotized elongated areas, at least 10 times longer than wide; corpus bursae elongate, without signa; ovipositor lobes at least 2.1 times longer than wide with dorsal surface bearing numerous short and stout setae, the ventral side of each lobe slightly curved; apophyses posteriores more slender than apophyses anteriores. — L 5 instar larva(Fig. 5 F). Length 35–40 mm, width 4.0 mm; head smooth, orange brown, prothoracic shield light brown, body with ground colour dark salmon, pinacula and caudal plate light brown. Young larvae are similar in appearance to mature ones.
Distribution. Republic of South Africa. Known from many localities in different vegetation mosaics (‘ Capeshrubland (Fynbos) ’ (Mosaic # 50), ‘ bushy Karoo-Namib shrubland’ (Mosaic # 51), ‘ grassy shrubland transition from Karoo shrubland to Highveld’ (Mosaic # 57 b), ‘ Highveld grassland’ (Mosaic # 58 )) ( White 1983) (Fig. 10) belonging to the Southern African bioregion (sensu Linder et al. 2012).
Ecology. Larvae were collected from young stems and shoots of Phragmites australisTrin. Ex Steud.growing along rivers or in wetlands inhabited by various Poalesbelonging to the following genera: CyperusL., Echinochloa, Miscanthus, Sporobolusand TyphaL.
4876544553
NHM
Sir A. Smith.
South Africa
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
1
1
holotype
4876544511
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2006-02
2007-02
2006-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
South Africa
1403
-26.515
Boskop Dam
20
27.123611
Potchefstroom
5
2
3
NorthWest Province
4876544325
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
302
-33.625553
Olifants River
19
22.220835
8
4
4
Western Cape Province
4876544574
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
283
-34.15056
Swartberg
19
19.477777
3
1
2
Western Cape Province
4876544344
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2007-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1329
-27.459167
Kroonstad
20
27.109722
2
2
Free State Province
4876544397
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
80
-34.096943
Heidelberg
19
20.965
3
2
1
Western Cape Province
4876544363
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
29
-33.704445
Melkbosstrand
19
18.456112
7
5
2
Western Cape Province
4876544368
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2006-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
2013
-25.421665
Dullstroom
21
30.101667
2
2
Mpumalanga Province
4876544459
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
110
-33.375275
Darling
20
18.379723
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544328
ex larvae in stems of P. australis
2007-01
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1420
-28.516945
Winburg
20
27.012222
2
2
Free State Province
4876544372
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
10
-32.79
Velddrif
20
18.189999
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544352
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
14
-33.836945
RietVlei
19
18.519722
8
3
5
Free State Province
4876544308
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2011-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1180
-28.704723
Kimberley
20
24.772778
2
2
Northern Cape Province
4876544489
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
493
-33.78389
George
19
22.334446
George
7
4
3
Western Cape Province
4876544444
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-11
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1041
-31.923332
Queenstown
20
26.829445
13
8
5
Eastern Cape Province
4876544558
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1369
-26.895834
Parys
20
27.454168
Parys
1
1
Free State Province
4876544536
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-03
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1395
-26.904167
Stilfontein
20
26.810278
1
1
Free State Province
4876544575
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1237
-29.66
Bloemhof Dam
20
25.668333
1
1
Free State Province
4876544547
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2007-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1373
-26.584167
Oudedorp
20
27.071667
1
1
Free State Province
4876544569
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2010-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1610
-25.672222
Middelburg-N 4
21
29.719444
2
1
1
Mpumalanga Province
4876544529
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-10
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1357
-26.567223
Baberspan
20
25.594168
1
1
North West Province
4876544481
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
100
-33.623608
Hauptfleisch
19
18.971666
Wellington
7
4
3
Western Cape Province
4876544433
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
15
-34.690002
Heuningnes River
19
20.0325
2
2
Western Cape Province
4876544559
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
12
-34.0625
Makassa
19
18.755556
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544577
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
95
-34.343887
SoesRivier
19
20.153055
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544313
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
23
-34.11722
Hartenbos
19
22.101944
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544495
2014-02
ex light trap
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1365
-26.828611
Bar Baraka
20
27.366945
1
1
Northwest Province
4876544595
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
570
-33.84333
Waboomskraal
19
22.34639
8
3
5
Western Cape Province
4876544474
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2006-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
1318
-26.8675
Harpington
20
27.025
2
2
Northwest Province
4876544560
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
40
-34.485832
Karsrivier
19
20.091112
2
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544482
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2009-12
MNHN
B. Le Ru
135
-33.838333
Hankey
19
24.876112
1
1
Western Cape Province
4876544417
ex larvae in stems of Phragmites australis Trin. Ex Steud.
2016-02
MNHN
B. Le Ru
802
-28.453056
Upington
20
21.265
9
5
4
Northern Cape Province