Sesamia penniseti Tams & Bowden, 1953

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 penniseti Tams & Bowden, 1953

Figures 5 H ; 8 I, T ; 9 G ; 11 ; 12 M – P

= Sesamia poebora Tams & Bowden, 1953

Sesamia penniseti – Tams and Bowden (1953: 669), Poole (1989: 908 [catalogue]). Sesamia poebora – Tams and Bowden (1953: 670).

Type material.

Holotype ♂, [ GHANA], Gold Coast, [Ashanti], Owabi , 29. II. 1950, 1950 / 261, ex [ Cenchrus purpureus ] Pennisetum purpureum , Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1241, J. Bowden [Leg.] ( NHM) . Allotype ♀, [ GHANA], Gold Coast, Ashanti, Kumasi , 11. IV. 1950, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1252, ( NHM) ; Paratypes: GHANA: one ♀, Gold Coast, Ashanti, Kumasi , 18. II. 1950, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], J. Bowden [Leg.], ( NHM) ; one ♂, Gold Coast, Ashanti, Kumasi , 30. VI. 1950, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1253, J. Bowden [Leg.], ( NHM) ; one ♂, Gold Coast, Ashanti, Kumasi , 4. VII. 1950, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], J. Bowden [Leg.], ( NHM) ; one ♀, Gold Coast, Ashanti, Owabi , 22. III. 1950, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], J. Bowden [Leg.], ( NHM) ; two ♀, Gold Coast, Ashanti, Owabi , 13. III. 1950, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], J. Bowden [Leg.], ( NHM) .

Other material.

CAMEROON: four ♀, Central region, Sanaga River , 04 ° 22 ′ 23 ″ N, 11 ° 15 ′ 10 ″ E, 388 m a. s. l., XII. 2013, light trap, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♀, four ♂, North West region, Babungo , 06 ° 01 ′ 49 ″ N, 10 ° 26 ′ 24 ″ E, 1214 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; four ♀, four ♂, North West region, Din , 06 ° 17 ′ 36 ″ N, 10 ° 30 ′ 31 ″ E, 1283 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 228 (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; nine ♀, five ♂, Northwest, Sarkong , 06 ° 02 ′ 55 ″ N, 10 ° 36 ′ 11 ″ E, 1365 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; three ♂, South, Nkondom , 03 ° 58 ′ 01 ″ N, 11 ° 27 ′ 18 ″ E, 735 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, one ♂, Northwest, Tolon-Jikijem , 06 ° 14 ′ 25 ″ N, 10 ° 28 ′ 15 ″ E, 1660 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♀, three ♂, Northwest, Widikom , 05 ° 51 ′ 05 ″ N, 09 ° 44 ′ 45 ″ E, 585 m a. s. l., XII. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♀, Northwest, Ndop Bamunka , 06 ° 00 ′ 26 ″ N, 10 ° 28 ′ 41 ″ E, 1170 m a. s. l., XII. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 614, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, one ♂, Northwest, Banyo , 06 ° 44 ′ 42 ″ N, 11 ° 51 ′ 49 ″ E, 1044 m a. s. l., XI. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♂, South, Mbamkomo , 03 ° 47 ′ 22 ″ N, 11 ° 24 ′ 26 ″ E, 752 m a. s. l., XII. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; three ♀, one ♂, Southwest, Buea , 04 ° 10 ′ 12 ″ N, 09 ° 14 ′ 54 ″ E, 1010 m a. s. l., XI. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, one ♂, Northwest, Bamessi , 06 ° 00 ′ 22 ″ N, 10 ° 21 ′ 54 ″ E, 1187 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♂, West, Santchou , 05 ° 15 ′ 37 ″ N, 09 ° 58 ′ 40 ″ E, 720 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, West, Tiben , 05 ° 56 ′ 54 ″ N, 09 ° 49 ′ 17 ″ E, 940 m a. s. l., XII. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♂, Northwest, Somie , 06 ° 26 ′ 06 ″ N, 11 ° 24 ′ 46 ″ E, 780 m a. s. l., XI. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Northwest, Koini Njinikom , 06 ° 14 ′ 33 ″ N, 10 ° 18 ′ 57 ″ E, 1123 m a. s. l., XII. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Northwest, Djah , 06 ° 28 ′ 54 ″ N, 10 ° 44 ′ 26 ″ E, 1874 m a. s. l., XII. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Southwest, Bafut Ngemba , 05 ° 51 ′ 14 ″ N, 10 ° 10 ′ 03 ″ E, 1900 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Southwest, Mouangel , 05 ° 05 ′ 29 ″ N, 09 ° 51 ′ 41 ″ E, 1250 m a. s. l., XI. 2007, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: four ♀, two ♂, Oriental province, Yankau , 02 ° 02 ′ 38 ″ N, 22 ° 51 ′ 36 ″ E, 365 m a. s. l., V. 2010, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 236, female gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 237 (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; KENYA: six ♀, two ♂, Western, Kissii 2 / Sare , 00 ° 54 ′ 47 ″ S, 34 ° 31 ′ 44 ″ E, 1583 m a. s. l., II. 2003 –2005, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, one ♂, Western, Kisumu 4, 00 ° 35 ′ 47 ″ N, 34 ° 27 ′ 10 ″ E, 1283 m a. s. l., III. 2004, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Western, Kakamega 11, 00 ° 12 ′ 05 ″ N, 34 ° 55 ′ 58 ″ E, 1603 m a. s. l., V. 2008, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; REPUBLIC OF CONGO: six ♀, five ♂, Niari, Ditadi , 04 ° 11 ′ 40 ″ S, 12 ° 58 ′ 03 ″ E, 178 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Andropogon gabonensis Stapf , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; three ♂, Niari, Ditadi , 04 ° 11 ′ 40 ″ S, 12 ° 58 ′ 03 ″ E, 178 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 540, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, one ♂, Bouenza, Madingou , 04 ° 09 ′ 37 ″ S, 13 ° 34 ′ 10 ″ E, 159 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 543, female gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 569, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Bouenza, Tadi , Mfouati River , 04 ° 19 ′ 04 ″ S, 13 ° 53 ′ 02 ″ E, 181 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Kouilou, Djeno , 04 ° 53 ′ 28 ″ S, 11 ° 55 ′ 26 ″ E, 6 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Andropogon schirensiss Hochst. Ex A. Rich. , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 555, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Kouilou, Tchiamba-Nzassi , 04 ° 58 ′ 34 ″ S, 12 ° 00 ′ 50 ″ E, 3 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Andropogon schirensiss Hochst. Ex A. Rich. , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 568, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, one ♂, Pool, Missafou , 04 ° 21 ′ 59 ″ S, 13 ° 51 ′ 12 ″ E, 224 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Andropogon gabonensis Stapf , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; two ♀, one ♂, Pool, Kikembo , 04 ° 16 ′ 02 ″ S, 14 ° 10 ′ 26 ″ E, 284 m a. s. l., IV. 2013, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , male gen. prep. LE RU Bruno / 568, (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; UGANDA: one ♂, [Central Uganda, Wakiso District], Kawanda , 8. X. 1940, ex Pennisetum purpureum [ Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone ], 1948 / 296, Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1242, T. H. C. Taylor [Leg.], Sesamia poebora holotype det. W. H. T. Tams, ( NHM) ; six ♀, five ♂, Western, Kashenyi , 00 ° 45 ′ 21 ″ S, 30 ° 19 ′ 25 ″ E, 1461 m a. s. l., III. 2005, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; three ♀, Western, Kayanga , Kalinzu Forest , 00 ° 22 ′ 02 ″ S, 30 ° 06 ′ 43 ″ E, 1447 m a. s. l., IV. 2006, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Western, Nyambega , 00 ° 50 ′ 08 ″ N, 30 ° 12 ′ 36 ″ E, 1234 m a. s. l., IV. 2004, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Western, Bumaga , 00 ° 49 ′ 41 ″ N, 30 ° 09 ′ 50 ″ E, 699 m a. s. l., IV. 2004, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Central, Koba Forest , 00 ° 20 ′ 32 ″ N, 32 ° 21 ′ 43 ″ E, 1277 m a. s. l., IV. 2004, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Western, Bwindi town, 00 ° 57 ′ 03 ″ S, 29 ° 37 ′ 05 ″ E, 1375 m a. s. l., IV. 2006, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, two ♂, Central, Namuganga , 00 ° 27 ′ 20 ″ S, 31 ° 47 ′ 10 ″ E, 1348 m a. s. l., IV. 2004, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♂, Western, Kasese, 00 ° 11 ′ 40 ″ N, 30 ° 06 ′ 19 ″ E, 974 m a. s. l., IV. 2006, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN) ; one ♀, Oriental province, Ntuntu, Nyehara forest , 00 ° 41 ′ 52 ″ N, 30 ° 32 ′ 51 ″ E, 1568 m a. s. l., V. 2009, ex larvae in stems of Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone , (B. Le Ru leg.) ( MNHN).

Diagnosis.

(See also the identification key of incerta subgroup, section 3.4. 2.). This species can be distinguished from the other known members of the incerta subgroup by the combination of the following characters of the male and female genitalia: tegumen with medium-sized peniculi; vinculum u-shaped at the outer margin with a large sized saccus, rounded; juxta large, the inferior plate shaped as a slightly flattened triangle, the superior plate narrow and long, as long as the inferior one, shortly bifid terminally; phallus short and thick; vesica with a small semi-circular flat cornutus; ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 very large, sclerotized, rounded; ostium bursae flattened funnel-shaped, sclerotized, with blunt tip on each side; ductus bursae with two narrow posterior sclerotized areas, one of them twice as long as the other.

Redescription.

(Fig. 12 M – P ). The species has been previously described in great detail by Tams and Bowden (1953). However, Tams and Bowden did not mention the fact that the wings are more elongated in females than in males. Also, the ground colour of the forewing varies from cartridge-buff to dark ochraceous depending on the specimen, with most studied specimens being rather light ochraceous. — Forewing length: male 27–33 mm (x ̅ = 29.7 mm, N = 12); female 30–40 mm (x ̅ = 34.6 mm, N = 12). — Male genitalia (Fig. 8 I, T ). Tegumen with medium-sized peniculi; vinculum u-shaped at the outer margin and w-shaped at the inner margin without indentation, with a large saccus, rounded. Valve with sacculus and cucullus separate; costa short and narrow, heavily sclerotized, ending with a stout and short straight spine, with two 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, the inferior plate shaped as a slightly flattened triangle, the superior plate narrow and long, as long as the inferior one, 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, a bit curved in the middle; lamina ventralis with an elongate carinal crest produced into paired lateral lobes; vesica with a small semi-circular flat cornutus. — Female genitalia (Fig. 9 G ). Apophyses anteriores with spatulate tips; ventrolateral plates of female segment A 8 very large, sclerotized, rounded; ostium bursae large, flattened funnel-shaped, sclerotized, with blunt tip on each side; ductus bursae long and narrow, with two narrow posterior sclerotized areas, one of them twice as long as the other; corpus bursae pyriform, without signa; ovipositor lobes at least 2.2 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 H ). Length 35–40 mm, width 4.0 mm; head smooth, black, prothoracic shield light brown, body with ground colour dark pink, pinacula and caudal plate light brown. Young larvae are similar in appearance to mature ones.

Distribution.

Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Republic of Congo, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda and Uganda. Known from many localities in ‘ Guineo-Congolian rainforest drier types’ (Mosaic # 2), ‘ lowland rain forest and secondary grassland’ (Guineo-Congolian) (Mosaic # 11 a) and ‘ undifferentiated Afromontane’ (Mosaic # 19 a) vegetation mosaics ( White 1983) (Fig. 11 ) belonging to the Congolian bioregion (sensu Linder et al. 2012).

Ecology.

Larvae were collected from young stems and shoots of nine host plants of the Poaceae family, belonging to the Andropogoneae, Cynodonteae and Paniceae tribes (see Table S 4 for details). Almost 88 % of the larvae were collected on Cenchrus purpureus and were found in frequent association with larvae of another Sesamiina species, Poeonoma serrata ( Hampson, 1910) . Most larvae were found along forest roads, forest edges and riversides in forested areas, also inhabited by various Poaceae species mostly belonging to the following genera: Cenchrus , Cymbopogon , Megathyrsus , Panicum , Setaria , Sorghum and Sporobolus .

Remarks.

Sesamia poebora Tams & Bowden (known from a single specimen from Uganda) was synonymized with S. penniseti by Moyal et al. (2011). Tams and Bowden (1953) stated that it is a “ very distinct species of the epunctifera group, separable from all the other species by the characteristic wing markings, consisting of three median fuscous patches and a strongly dentate post-medial fascia ”. In general, the wing markings of Sesamia species can be more or less visible depending on the localities and populations; when studying the genitalia of the S. poebora male holotype (Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1242) no difference was found with the male holotype of S. penniseti (Agrotidae genitalia slide No. 1241). In addition, S. penniseti and S. poebora were collected on the same host plant ( Cenchrus purpureus ), and dozens of S. penniseti specimens were collected in Uganda and Western Kenya as well as in Cameroon and the Republic of Congo in Central Africa where it is a common species; among the S. penniseti specimens preserved in the MNHN some of them also show markings similar to those of the S. poebora holotype. All these elements indicate that S. poebora is a synonym of S. penniseti as concluded by Moyal et al. (2011). This species is an occasional minor pest of maize, sorghum and sugarcane ( Scheibelreiter 1980; Sampson and Kumar 1986; Ratnadass et al. 1992; Ndemah et al. 2007).

Figures

Figure 5. Last instar larvae of members of the calamistis, incerta and nonagrioides subgroups. A S. calamistis; B S. mapalense sp. nov.; C S. oriaula; D S. epunctifera; E S. firmata; F S. incerta; G S. kamba sp. nov.; H S. penniseti; I S. roumeti. Scale bar = 10 mm.

Figure 8. Male genitalia of members of the incerta subgroup (dorsal view for apparatus and lateral view for phalli). S. epunctifera: A apparatus; L phallus; S. firmata: B apparatus; M phallus; S. incerta: C apparatus; N phallus; S. kamba sp. nov.: D apparatus; O phallus; S. lalaci sp. nov.: E apparatus; P phallus; S. lusese sp. nov.: F apparatus; Q phallus; S. msowero sp. nov.: G apparatus; R phallus; S. pennipuncta: H apparatus; S phallus; S. penniseti: I apparatus; T phallus; S. poephaga: J apparatus; U phallus; S. simplaria: K apparatus; V phallus. Scale bar = 1 mm for apparatus and 0.5 for phalli.

Figure 9. Female genitalia from members of the incerta subgroup (ventral view). A S. epunctifera; B S. firmata; C S. incerta; D S. kamba sp. nov.; E S. msowero sp. nov.; F S. pennipuncta; G S. penniseti; H S. poephaga; I S. simplaria. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Figure 11. Distribution map of sampled specimens of the incerta subgroup: S. firmata, S. lalaci sp. nov., S. pennipuncta, S. poephaga, S. penniseti, S. simplaria.

Figure 12. Adults of the incerta subgroup (S. lalaci sp. nov., S. lusese sp. nov., S. msowero sp. nov., S. pennipuncta, S. penniseti, S. poephaga and S. simplaria). S. lalaci sp. nov.: A male upper side; B male underside; S. lusese sp. nov.: C male upper side; D male underside; S. msowero sp. nov.: E male upper side; F male underside; G female upper side; H female underside; S. pennipuncta: I male upper side; J male underside; K female upper side; L female underside; S. penniseti: M male upper side; N male underside; O female upper side; P female underside; S. poephaga: Q male upper side; R male underside; S female upper side; T female underside; S. simplaria: U male upper side; V male underside; W female upper side; X female underside. Scale bar = 10 mm.