Integrative taxonomy of Acrapex stem borers (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae : Apameini): combining morphology and Poisson Tree Process analyses

Abstract

Abstract. Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex from eastern and south-eastern Africa belonging to the A. stygiata and A. albivena groups are reviewed. Six species are described as new: A. brunneella, A. mitiwa, A. mpika, A. salmona, A. sporobola and A. yakoba. The Poaceae host plants of eight species are recorded; four species, A. mitiwa. A. subalbissima, A. syscia and A. yakoba, were found developing exclusively on Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv., (Andropogoneae); two species, A. sporobola and A. salmona, on I. cylindrica and Sporobolus macranthelus Chiov. (Zoysieae); and A. albivena on I. cylindrica, Miscanthus capensis (Nees) Andersson (Andropogoneae) and Cymbopogon sp. (Andropogoneae). Acrapex stygiata larvae developed on M. capensis and Cymbopogon sp. The host plants of A. brunneella and A. mpika remain unknown. We also conducted molecular phylogenetics and molecular species delimitation analyses on a comprehensive sample of 49 specimens belonging to nine of the studied species. Molecular phylogenetics and molecular species delimitation analyses provided additional evidence of the validity of the six newly described species but also suggested a level of hidden biodiversity for one of them.

Diversity and abundance of lepidopteran stem borers and their host plants in Ethiopia

“…The newly recorded noctuid stem borer species in our study could possibly be endemic to Ethiopia. Similar studies conducted in sub‐Saharan Africa also confirmed the presence of a high rate of endemism in noctuid stem borers particularly in the genus Acrapex (Le Ru, Capdevielle‐Dulac, C., Musyoka, B. K., Goftishu, et al., ; Le Ru, Capdevielle‐Dulac, C., Musyoka, B. K., Pallangyo, B., Njaku, M., Goftishu, et al., ; Le Ru, Capdevielle‐Dulac, C., Musyoka, B. K., Pallangyo, B., Njaku, M., Kandonda, et al., ; Le Ru et al., ). As part of the Eastern Afromontane hotspot, the Ethiopian highlands are known for their high concentrations of endemic species (CEPF, ; Mittermeier et al., ; Williams et al., ).…”

“…The occurrence of rare species in the natural habitat was frequently reported for herbivorous insects in tropical regions (Le Ru, Ong'amo, Moyal, Muchugu, et al., ; Novotny & Basset, ; Ong'amo et al., ). The presence of rare species may not necessarily indicate sampling artifacts, as in the face of very intensive sampling, the incidence of rare species are also common (Le Ru et al., ; Moyal et al., ). The newly recorded noctuid stem borer species in our study could possibly be endemic to Ethiopia.…”

Phylogenetic analysis and systematics of the Acrapex unicolora Hampson species complex (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini), with the description of five new species from the Afrotropics

“…In addition, 185 adults from this species group were collected in light traps set up in Cameroon, Kenya, the Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The morphological study is based on 72 adult specimens belonging to 10 Acrapex species collected in 46 localities in seven countries: Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, the Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia (see also Le Ru et al 2014). Plant specimens were identified by Simon Mathenge (Botany Department, University of Nairobi, Kenya).…”

“…We also included one representative of the A. stygiata species group (A. stygiata) and five representatives of the A. albivena species group (A. albivena Hampson, 1910, A. salmona Le Ru, 2014, A. sporobola Le Ru, 2014, A. syscia Fletcher, 1961and A. yakoba Le Ru, 2014. As outgroups, we included representatives of four other genera in the subtribe Sesamiina based on the results of several molecular studies (Toussaint et al 2012;Le Ru et al 2014). DNA was extracted from hind legs using Qiagen DNAeasy tissue kits (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany).…”

“…Extensive surveys conducted since 2004 (Le Ru et al 2006Ru et al a, 2006bOng'amo et al 2006Ong'amo et al , 2013Ong'amo et al , 2014Ndemah et al 2007;Matama-Kauma et al 2008;Moolman et al 2014) in several sub-Saharan countries, targeting wild habitats rich in Poaceae and combining infested host plant collections and light traps, allowed us to obtain several hundred specimens of Acrapex. A recent study by Le Ru et al (2014) focused on a LE RU B. et al, Contribution to Acrapex systematics 3 small group of morphologically related species belonging to subsets of two (groups B and C) of the four morphological groups that have been defined by Berio (1973) based on male genitalia. The latter study unravelled no less than six new species, thus suggesting that the species diversity of Acrapex in SubSaharan Africa is greatly underestimated (Le .…”