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

  • Bruno Le Ru IRD/CNRS, UMR IRD 247 EGCE, Laboratoire Evolution Génomes Spéciation, Avenue de la terrasse, BP 1, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France and Université Paris-Sud 11, 91405 Orsay
  • Claire Capdevielle-Dulac IRD/CNRS, UMR IRD 247 EGCE, Laboratoire Evolution Génomes Spéciation, Avenue de la terrasse, BP 1, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France and Université Paris-Sud 11, 91405 Orsay
  • Boaz K. Musyoka Unité de Recherche UMR 247, African Insect Science for Food and Health (icipe), PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi
  • Beatrice Pallangyo Biocontrol Program, PO Box 30031, Kibaha
  • Mohamedi Njaku Biocontrol Program, PO Box 30031, Kibaha
  • Onésime Mubenga Faculté des Sciences agronomiques, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani
  • Gilson Chipabika Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, Mount Maluku Central Research Station, PO Box 8, Chilanga
  • Rose Ndemah International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, PO Box 2008, Messa, Yaoundé
  • Grégoire Bani Centre de Recherches Agronomiques de Loudima (CRAL), BP 28, Loudima
  • Richard Molo Namulonge Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute (NAARI), PO Box 7084, Kampala
  • George Ong'Amo School of Biological Science, College of Physical and Biological Sciences (Chiromo Campus), University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi
  • Gael J. Kergoat INRA - UMR 1062 CBGP (INRA, IRD, Cirad, Montpellier SupAgro), 755 Avenue du campus Agropolis, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.270
Keywords: Acrapex, Afrotropical Region, Apameini, Noctuidae, Sesamiina

Abstract

Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini) from Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed, including five new species: Acrapex kafula le Ru sp. nov., A. kavumba le Ru sp. nov., A. kiakouama le Ru sp. nov., A. miscantha le Ru sp. nov. and A. simillima le Ru sp. nov. Evidence is provided to transfer the monotypic genus Poecopa Bowden, 1956 to the genus Acrapex. Host plants of five species are recorded, some of them for the first time. Acrapex kavumba sp. nov., A. miscantha sp. nov. and A. simillima sp. nov. were found on one host plant each. Acrapex mediopuncta, previously reported in West Africa from Pennisetum purpureum Schumach., Rottboellia compressa L., Setaria megaphylla (Steud) Dur. & Schinz. and Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf, was only found from S. megaphylla in Central Africa. Larvae of Acrapex unicolora were collected on Andropogon gayanus Kunth, Chrysopogon zizanoides (L.) Roberty, Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Maire & Weller, Cymbopogon pospischiilii (K.Schum.) C.E.Hubb., Hyparrhenia diplandra (Hack.) Stapf and Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Moss. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses on a comprehensive sample of 61 specimens belonging to eight of the studied species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses provided additional evidence of the synonymy of Acrapex and Poecopa, whereas molecular species delimitation analyses support the validity of the five newly described species and unravel another potential new species, only collected in the larval stage.

References

Astrin J.J., Stüben P.E., Misof B., Wägele J.W., Gimnich F., Raupach M.J. & Ahrens D. 2012. Exploring diversity in cryptorhynchine weevils (Coleoptera) using distance-, character- and tree-based species delineation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 63: 1–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.11.018

Berio E. 1973. Nuove species e generi di Noctuidae africane e asiatiche e note sinonimiche. Parte II. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “Giacomo Doria” 79: 126–171.

Bowden J. 1956. New species of African stem-boring Agrotidae (Lepidoptera). Bulletin of Entomological Research 47: 415–428.

Dumas P., Barbut J., Le Ru B., Silvain J.-F., Clamens A.-L., d’Alençon E. & Kergoat G.J. 2015. Phylogenetic molecular species delimitations unravel potential new species in the pest genus Spodoptera Guenée, 1852 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). PLoS One 10: e0122407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0122407

Fletcher D.S. 1961. Noctuidae. In: Evans G.O & Fletcher D.S. (eds) Ruwenzori Expedition 1952. Vol. 1: 177–323. British Museum (Natural History), London.

Hampson G.F. 1894. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Moths. Taylor & Francis, London.

Hampson G.F. 1910. Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the Collection of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). IX. Noctuidae. Taylor and Francis, London.

Hampson G.F. 1914. Descriptions of new genera and species of Noctuidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 13: 146–175, 197–223. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222931408693462

Hillis D.M. & Bull J.J. 1993. An empirical test of bootstrapping as a method for assessing confidence in phylogenetic analysis. Systematic Biology 42: 182–192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/42.2.182

Janse A.J.T. 1939. The Moths of South Africa. Volume 3. Cymatophoridae, Callidulidae and Noctuidae. E.P. and Commercial Printing Co. Ltd, Durban.

Katoh K. & Standley D.M. 2013. MAFFT multiple sequence alignment software version 7: improvements in performance and usability. Molecular Biology and Evolution 30: 772–780. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/mst010

Kergoat G.J., Prowell D.P., Le Ru B.P., Mitchell A., Dumas P., Clamens A.-L., Condamine F.L. & Silvain J.-F. 2012. Disentangling dispersal and vicariance patterns in armyworms: evolution and historical biogeography of the pest genus Spodoptera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65: 855–870. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.08.006

Lanfear R., Calcott B., Ho S.Y.W. & Guindon S. 2012. PartitionFinder: combined selection of partitioning schemes and substitution models for phylogenetic analyses. Molecular Biology and Evolution 29: 1695–701. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/mss020

Le Ru B.P., Ong’amo G.O., Moyal P., Muchungu E., Ngala L., Musyoka B., Abdullah Z., Matama-Kauma T., Lada V.Y., Pallangyo B., Omwega C.O., Schulthess F., Calatayud P.-A. & Silvain J.-F. 2006a. Geographic distribution and host plant ranges of East African noctuid stem borers. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 42: 353–361.

Le Ru B., Ong’amo G.O., Moyal P., Ngala L., Musyoka B., Abdullah Z., Cugala D., Defabachew B., Haile T.A., Kauma Matama T., Lada V.Y., Negassi B., Pallangyo K., Ravololonandrianina J., Sidumo A., Omwega C., Schulthess F., Calatayud P.-A. & Silvain J.-F. 2006b. Diversity of lepidopteran stem borers on monocotyledonous plants in eastern Africa and the islands of Madagascar and Zanzibar revisited. Bulletin of Entomological Research 96: 555–563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/BER2006457

Le Ru B.P., Capdevielle-Dulac C., Toussaint E.F.A., Conlong D., Van den Berg J., Pallangyo B., Ong’amo G., Chipabika G., Molo R., Overholt W.A., Cuda J.P. & Kergoat G.J. 2014. Integrative taxonomy of Acrapex stem borers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Apameini). Invertebrate Systematics 28: 451–475. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/IS13062

Le Ru B.P., Capdevielle-Dulac C., Conlong D., Pallangyo B., Van den Berg J., Ong’amo G. & Kergoat G.J. 2015. A revision of the genus Conicofrontia Hampson (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini, Sesamiina), with description of a new species: new insights from morphological, ecological and molecular data. Zootaxa 3925: 56–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3925.1.4

Linder H.P., de Klerk H.M., Born J., Burgess N.D., Fjeldsa J. & Rahbek C. 2012. The partitioning of Africa: statistically defined biogeographical regions in sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Biogeography 39: 1189–1205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2012.02728.x

Matama-Kauma T., Schulthess F., Le Ru B., Mueke J.M., Ogwang J.A. & Omwega C.O. 2008. Abundance and diversity of lepidopteran stemborers and their parasitoids on selected wild grasses in Uganda. Crop Protection 27: 505–513. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2007.08.003

McClanahan T.R. & Young T.P. 1996. East African Ecosystems and their Conservation. Oxford University Press, New York.

Minh B.Q., Nguyen M.A. & von Haeseler A. 2013. Ultrafast approximation for phylogenetic bootstrap. Molecular Biology and Evolution 30: 1188–1195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/mst024

Moolman J., Van den Berg J., Conlong D., Cugala D., Siebert S. & Le Ru B. 2014. Species diversity and distribution of lepidopteran stem borers in South Africa and Mozambique. Journal of Applied Entomology 138: 52–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jen.12085

Ndemah R., Schulthess F., Le Ru B. & Bame I. 2007. Lepidopteran cereal stemborers and associated natural enemies on maize and wild grass hosts in Cameroon. Journal of Applied Entomology 131: 658–668. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2007.01219.x

Nguyen L.T., Schmidt H.A., von Haeseler A. & Minh B.Q. 2015. IQ-TREE: a fast and effective stochastic algorithm for estimating maximum likelihood phylogenies. Molecular Biology and Evolution 32: 268–274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msu300

Nylander J.A.A., Ronquist F., Huelsenbeck J.P. & Nieves-Aldrey J.L. 2004. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of combined data. Systematic Biology 53: 47–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10635150490264699

Ong’amo G.O., Le Ru B., Dupas S., Moyal P., Calatayud P.-A. & Silvain J.-F. 2006. The role of non-crop hosts on population dynamics of lepidopteran stemborer pests along altitudinal gradient in Kenya. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 42: 363–370.

Ong’amo G.O., Le Ru B., Calatayud P.-A. & Silvain J.-F. 2013. Composition of stem borer communities in selected vegetation mosaics in Kenya. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 7: 267–275.

Ong’amo G.O., Le Gall P., Ndemah R. & Le Ru B.P. 2014. Diversity and host range of lepidopteran stem borer species in Cameroon. African Entomology 22: 625–635.

Onyango F.O. & Ochieng’Odero J.P.R. 1994. Continuous rearing of the maize stem borer Busseola fusca on an artificial diet. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 73: 139–144. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.1994.tb01848.x

Poole R.W. 1989. Lepidopterorum Catalogus (New Series, Fasc. 118). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Ripplinger J. & Sullivan J. 2008. Does choice in model selection affect maximum likelihood analysis? Systematic Biology 57: 76–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10635150801898920

Tams W.H.T. & Bowden J. 1953. A revision of the African species of Sesamia Guenée and related genera (Agrotidae-Lepidoptera). Bulletin of Entomological Research 43: 645–678. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300026717

Tang C.Q., Humphreys A.M., Fontaneto D. & Barraclough T.G. 2014. Effects of phylogenetic reconstruction method on the robustness of species delimitation using single-locus data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5: 1086–1094. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12246

Toussaint E.F.A., Condamine F.L., Kergoat G.J., Silvain J.-F., Capdevielle-Dulac C., Barbut J. & Le Ru B.P. 2012. Palaeoenvironmental shifts drove the adaptive radiation of a noctuid stemborer tribe (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini) in the Miocene. PLoS One 7: e41377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0041377

Viette P. 1967. Insectes Lépidoptères Noctuidae Amphipyrinae (Part.) et Melicleptriinae. Faune de Madagascar. ORSTOM-CNRS, Paris 20 (2): 394–417.

White F. 1983. The vegetation of Africa, a descriptive memoir to accompany the UNESCO / AETFAT / UNSO vegetation map of Africa. UNESCO, Natural Resources Research 20: 1–356.

Zhang J., Kapli P., Pavlidis P. & Stamatakis A. 2013. A general species delimitation method with applications to phylogenetic placements. Bioinformatics 29: 2869–2876. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btt499

Published
2017-02-03
How to Cite
Le Ru, B., Capdevielle-Dulac, C., Musyoka, B. K., Pallangyo, B., Njaku, M., Mubenga, O., Chipabika, G., Ndemah, R., Bani, G., Molo, R., Ong’Amo, G., & Kergoat, G. J. (2017). Phylogenetic analysis and systematics of the Acrapex unicolora Hampson species complex (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini), with the description of five new species from the Afrotropics. European Journal of Taxonomy, (270). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.270
Issue
No. 270 (2017): Phylogenetic analysis and systematics of the Acrapex unicolora Hampson species complex (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini), with the description of five new species from the Afrotropics
Section
Entomology
Copyright (c) 2017 Bruno Le Ru, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Boaz K. Musyoka, Beatrice Pallangyo, Mohamedi Njaku, Onésime Mubenga, Gilson Chipabika, Rose Ndemah, Grégoire Bani, Richard Molo, George Ong'Amo, Gael J. Kergoat

Creative Commons Copyright Notices

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are NOT ALLOWED TO post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to taxonomic issues.