Crop Pests, Control Measures and Potential Impacts in Kihansi Catchment Area

A baseline survey which covered 349 households in Bomang’ombe and Masisiwe (Kilolo district), Kibengu and Mapanda (Mufindi district) and Chita and Chisano (Kilombero district) was conducted to identify major pests, control measures and potential impacts in Kihansi catchment area. Maize was the most predominant crop being cultivated by 55% of the total respondents in all the study districts. Pests and diseases were the major constraints to crop production, whereby cereal stem borers were the most serious pests being reported by 88.2% of respondents. Application of synthetic pesticides was the major pest control measure, being applied by 66% of the respondents.  Increase in pest populations, decline of biodiversity and human health effects were reported by 85%, 61% and 38% of the respondents, respectively, as negative impacts associated with pesticides use. Dissemination of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) packages targeting the key crops and public awareness on good agricultural practices is recommended to sustainably manage the pests and enhance crop production, human health and biodiversity in the catchment.Keywords: Pests; Pesticides; Good Agricultural Practices, Integrated Pest Management, Kihansi

Tilting chains of negative curves on rational surfaces

We introduce the notion of exact tilting objects, which are partial tilting objects $T$ inducing an equivalence between the abelian category generated by $T$ and the category of modules over the endomorphism algebra of $T$. Given a chain of sufficiently negative rational curves on a rational surface, we construct an exceptional sequence whose universal extension is an exact tilting object. For a chain of (-2)-curves, we obtain an equivalence with modules over a well known algebra.Comment: 13 page

Yield loss due to the stemborer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) at different nitrogen application rates to maize

International Journal of entomology, 2006; 42(3-4):487-494Field trials were conducted at Kibaha and Morogoro in eastern Tanzania during two seasons to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 50, 75, 100 kg [N]/ha) on pest abundance, plant damage and yield loss of maize due to stemborers. In general, ear and grain weights increased linearly with nitrogen level. In the infested plot, grain weight increased 2.5 and 1.8 fold from 0 to 100 kg [N]/ha in the short and long rainy season, respectively, at Kibaha, and 1.4 and 1.6 times at Morogoro. Yield loss decreased with an increase in nitrogen application and the effect was stronger under high than low borer infestation levels. The results show the benefi cial effect of nitrogen on the plant’s ability to compensate for borer damage. Analysis of economic benefi ts of applying fertilizer and insecticide treatment indicated that using insecticides is not profi table under high-pest-low-soil fertility conditions

Yield loss due to the stemborer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) at different nitrogen application rates to maize

International Journal of entomology, 2006; 42(3-4):487-494Field trials were conducted at Kibaha and Morogoro in eastern Tanzania during two seasons to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 50, 75, 100 kg [N]/ha) on pest abundance, plant damage and yield loss of maize due to stemborers. In general, ear and grain weights increased linearly with nitrogen level. In the infested plot, grain weight increased 2.5 and 1.8 fold from 0 to 100 kg [N]/ha in the short and long rainy season, respectively, at Kibaha, and 1.4 and 1.6 times at Morogoro. Yield loss decreased with an increase in nitrogen application and the effect was stronger under high than low borer infestation levels. The results show the benefi cial effect of nitrogen on the plant’s ability to compensate for borer damage. Analysis of economic benefi ts of applying fertilizer and insecticide treatment indicated that using insecticides is not profi table under high-pest-low-soil fertility conditions

Conicofrontia diamesa Hampson 1920

<i>Conicofrontia diamesa</i> (Hampson, 1920) <p>(Figs. 1 e–1h, 3b, 3f, 3j, 4b)</p> <p> <i>Arenostola diamesa</i> Hampson, 1920: 257.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia diamesa</i> (Hampson): Tams & Bowden, 1953:652.</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype (male) of <i>Arenostola diamesa</i>: <b>Republic of South Africa:</b> Zululand, Eshowe, xii 1916, Agrotidae genitalia slide 1292, E.E. Platt Coll. [BMNH].</p> <p> <b>Other material: Republic of South Africa:</b> 3♂, 4♀, Eston, 29°55.102’S, 30°37.222’E, 673m a.s.l., 02.ii.2009, ex larva (in stem of <i>Cymbopogon</i> sp.) [2♂ gen. prep LERU Bruno/G300-G643, 2♀ gen. prep LERU Bruno/G55-G301] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN].</p> <p> <b>Redescription.</b> The male holotype was poorly described by Hampson (1920). The male looks very similar to the female, however the general shape of the female’s forewing is more elongated at the apex. Additions to the previous descriptions (Figs. 1 e–1h): antennae ochreous, filiform in female, serrate in male, cilia short, fasciculate, flagellum adorned dorsally with brown scales, palpus brown, eyes red brown. Head and front of thorax ochreous brown, tegulae bisque, legs brown ringed with bisque, abdomen brown ochreous, anal tuft ochreous. Forewing: a longitudinal brown fascia suffused with fuscous scales from the base along the lower margin of the cell partly within the cell, partly without, extending to just before the termen; the cell, costa, apex, termen and inner margin bisque with areas between veins suffused with fuscous scales in apex and termen; 2–3 small black spots along the upper margin of the cell, sometimes one additional black spot in front of the cell. Fringe bright ochreous or bisque adorned successively from the base with a narrow basal brown line, a thick bisque line and a thick brown line. Hindwing; grey bistre strongly suffused with brown scales; fringe bistre with a narrow grey bistre line at the base. Underside of the forewing bistre suffused with brown and fuscous scales on the costa and apex, strongly suffused with brown scales from the cell to the termen, less suffusion in the inner margin. Underside of hindwing grey uniformly suffused with brown and fuscous scales but more densely on costa and apex; veins of both forewing and hindwing adorned with fuscous scales.</p> <p> <i>Wingspan</i> 24–27 mm (males) (n = 6); 26–28 mm (females) (n = 6).</p> <p>Male (27, 26, 25, 25, 24, 26), Female (27, 28, 26, 26, 27, 27)</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (Figs. 3 b, 3f). Uncus long and wide, tapering to a fine point and tufted with long hair on the upperside; tegumen with medium-size rounded peniculi, vinculum with medium-size triangular saccus; valves elongate and narrow, cucullus elongate, rounded at apex and tufted with medium size hairs; sacculus with an heavily sclerotized and dentate clavus, dents larger at both ends; the presence of a sclerotized and heavily dentate plate across the upper edge of the sacculus, costal margin with a small sclerotized ridge-like expansion roundly pointed and slightly curved inwardly; the juxta plate like, short and becoming smaller towards the top. Aedeagus short, slightly curved, manica with a two-lobed sclerotization, less than one fifth length of the aedeagus, ending in a spinose tip; vesica with two strongly dentate ventral cornuti, almost one third length of the aedeagus.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (Fig. 3 j). Corpus bursae long and cylindrical with one signa; ductus seminalis from the basal part of the bursa; ductus bursae broad and strongly sclerotized on the ostium side; ventral plate of ostium bursae sclerotized bilobate deeply invaginated at middle, thus forming a circular-shaped ventral wall of antrum; dorsal plate large, broad, weakly sclerotized. Ovipositor lobes short and wide (1.5 times longer than wide) with many stout bristles in addition to the small setae and an apical crest of short stout bristles.</p> <p> <i>Larvae</i> L5 instar (Fig. 4 b): length, 30–35mm, width, 3.5 mm; head smooth, orange brown, prothoracic shield yellow orange; body with ground colour buff, dorsally suffused with pink, pinacula pale yellow and caudal plate brown. Young larvae are very similar in appearance to mature ones.</p> <p> <b>Bionomics.</b> <i>Conicofrontia diamesa</i> is a hygrophilous species inhabiting grasses along banks of streams, rivers and marshes. Larvae were collected at the bottom of young stems of <i>Cymbopogon</i> sp. stems, always solitary. Typically, plants exhibiting signs of infestation by <i>C. diamesa</i> larvae have a curled, brown, central leaf. Damaged stems had a small hole (ca. 2 mm diameter) located approximately 10 cm from ground level. We suspect that the larvae disperse when they reach the fourth instar. No pupae were found in stems, and therefore borers probably pupate in the soil.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> South Africa. The two records are from Afromontane (Mosaic no 19) vegetation mosaic (White 1983) (Fig. 6).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Easily separated from other <i>Conicofrontia</i> species with the short juxta plate-like, the dentate clavus with dents larger at both ends, the two strong dentate ventral cornuti of the vesica and the ventral plate of ostium bursae, sclerotized bilobate, deeply invaginated at middle, thus forming a circular-shaped ventral wall of antrum.</p>Published as part of <i>Ru, Bruno Le, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Conlong, Desmond, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Berg, Johnnie Van Den, Ong'Amo, George & Kergoat, Gael 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 in Zootaxa 3925 (1)</i>, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3925.1.4, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/237179">http://zenodo.org/record/237179</a&gt

Conicofrontia bipartita (Hampson, 1910) Le Ru, comb. nov.

<i>Conicofrontia bipartita</i> (Hampson, 1910) Le Ru, comb. nov., stat. rev. <p>(Figs. 1 a–1d, 3a, 3e, 3i, 4a)</p> <p> <i>Phragmatiphila bipartita</i> Hampson, 1910:272</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i>: Tams & Bowden, 1953:651</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype (female) of <i>Phragmatiphila bipartita</i>: <b>Republic of South Africa</b>: E. Transvaal, White River, xii 1906, Agrotidae genitalia slide 1271, A.T. Cooke Coll., 1906-314 [BMNH].</p> <p> <b>Other material: Republic of South Africa</b>: 1♂, 1♀, Kwazulu-Natal, Karkloof, 29°16.282’S, 30°21.381’E, 1291m asl, 08.ii.2007, ex larva (in stem of <i>Miscanthus capensis</i> (Nees) Andersson) [1♂ gen. prep LERU Bruno/ G504, 1♀ gen. prep LERU Bruno/304] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN].</p> <p> <b>Redescription</b>. The female holotype was poorly described by Hampson (1910). The male is described here for the first time; externally it looks very similar to the female, however the general shape of the female’s forewing is more elongated at the apex than that of the male. Additions to the previous descriptions (Figs. 1 a–1d): antennae ochreous, filiform in female, serrate in male, cilia short, fasciculate, flagellum adorned dorsally with brown scales, palpus brown. Head and front of thorax ochreous brown, tegulae bright ochreous, legs brown ochreous, abdomen greyish ochreous. Forewing: a longitudinal dark brown fascia from the base along the lower margin of the cell partly within the cell, partly without, extending to just before the termen; the cell ochreous, all other areas (costa, apex, termen and inner margin) ochreous suffused with brown scales; A small subterminal black spot on vein 5, all veins towards the apex adorned with ochreous scales. Fringe ochreous adorned successively with a narrow basal black line, a narrow ochreous line and a thick light brown line. Hindwing; grey strongly tinged with brown veins suffused with brown scales; fringe grey with a narrow basal grey-white line highlighted at the base with a narrow brown line. Underside of the forewing uniformly ochreous; slightly suffused with brown scales on the costa and apex, strongly suffused with brown scales from the cell to the termen, less suffusion in the inner margin. Underside of hindwing ochreous uniformly suffused with brown scales but more densely on costa and apex; veins of both forewing and hindwing adorned with ochreous scales.</p> <p> <i>Wingspan</i> 35 mm (1 male), 34 mm (1 female).</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (Figs. 3 a, 3e). Uncus long and wide, tapering to a fine point and tufted with long hair on the upperside; tegumen with medium-size rounded peniculi, vinculum with medium-size triangular saccus; valves elongate and narrow; cucullus elongate, rounded at apex and tufted with medium size hairs; sacculus with an heavily sclerotized and dentate clavus, all dents with the same size; the presence of a sclerotized and slightly dentate plate, pear shaped, across the upper edge of the sacculus, costal margin with a small sclerotized ridge-like expansion roundly pointed and slightly curved inwardly; the juxta oblong, elongated pear-shaped without sclerotization with a long and narrow neck shortly bifid. Aedeagus short, slightly curved, manica with a two-lobed sclerotization, less than one fifth length of the aedeagus, ending in a Spinoza tip; vesica with two ventral cornuti slightly dented, one-quarter length of the aedeagus.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (Fig. 3 i). Unfortunately the bursa copulatrix can not be described as it has been spoiled during the genitalia preparation; ductus bursae broad and strongly sclerotized on the ostium side; ventral plate of ostium bursae sclerotized bilobate with small lobes funnel-shaped; dorsal plate large, broad, weakly sclerotized. Ovipositor lobes relatively long and narrow (2.5 times longer than wide) with many stout bristles in addition to the small setae and an apical crest of short stout bristles.</p> <p> <i>Larvae</i> L5 instar (Fig. 4 a): length, 35–40mm, width, 4.0 mm; head smooth, orange brown, prothoracic shield pale yellow; body with ground colour buff, dorsally suffused with pink, pinacula pale yellow and caudal plate brown. Young larvae are very similar in appearance to mature ones.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia bipartita</i>: 1a—male upper side, 1b—male under side, 1c—female upper side, 1d—female under side. <i>Conicofrontia diamesa</i>: 1e—male upper side, 1f—male under side, 1g—female upper side, 1h—female under side.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia lilomwa</i>: 2a—male upper side, 2b—male under side, 2c—female upper side, 2d—female under side. <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i>: 2e—male upper side, 2f—male under side, 2g—female upper side, 2h—female under side.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia diamesa</i>: 3b—male genitalia, 3f—male penis, 3j—female genitalia.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia lilomwa</i>: 3c—male genitalia, 3g—male penis, 3k—female genitalia.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i>: 3d—male genitalia, 3h—male penis, 3l—female genitalia.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia bipartita</i>: 4a; <i>Conicofrontia diamesa</i>: 4b; <i>Conicofrontia lilomwa</i>: 4c; <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i>: 4d.</p> <p> <b>Bionomics.</b> <i>Conicofrontia bipartita</i> is a markedly hygrophilous species inhabiting grasses along banks of streams, rivers and marshes. Second and third instar larvae were collected at the bottom of <i>Miscanthus capensis</i> inflorescence stems, always gregarious. Typically, plants exhibiting signs of infestation by <i>C. bipartita</i> larvae have a dry, brown inflorescence. We suspect that the larvae disperse when they reach the fourth instar. No pupae were found in stems, and therefore borers probably pupate in the soil.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> South Africa. The two records are from Afromontane (Mosaic no 19) vegetation mosaic (White 1983) (Fig. 6).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Easily separated from <i>C. sesamoides</i> with which it has been confused by Tams & Bowden (1953). The juxta is plate-like in <i>C. sesamoides</i> while it is pear-shaped in <i>C. bipartita</i>, with the valves broader at basal half in <i>C. bipartita</i> compared to <i>C. sesamoides</i> and the clavus much more elongated toward the apex in <i>C. sesamoides</i>.</p>Published as part of <i>Ru, Bruno Le, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Conlong, Desmond, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Berg, Johnnie Van Den, Ong'Amo, George & Kergoat, Gael 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 in Zootaxa 3925 (1)</i>, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3925.1.4, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/237179">http://zenodo.org/record/237179</a&gt

Conicofrontia lilomwa Le Ru, sp. nov.

<i>Conicofrontia lilomwa</i> Le Ru, sp. nov. <p>(Figs. 2 a–2d, 3c, 3g, 3k, 4b)</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> Holotype (male) of <i>Conicofrontia lilomwa</i>: <b>Tanzania:</b> Iringa region, Njombe, Lilomwi, 09°36.203’S, 35°10.875’E, 1555 m a.s.l., i.2012, ex light trap [gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G88] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN].</p> <p> Paratypes: <b>Tanzania:</b> 5♂, 5♀, Iringa region, Njombe, Iboya, 09°25.541’S, 35°03.690’E, 1664 m a.s.l., iv.2014, ex light trap [1♂ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G76, 2♀ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G682-G707] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♀, Iringa region, Njombe, Lilomwi, 09°36.203’S, 35°10.875’E, 1555m a.s.l., iii.2008, ex larvae in stem of <i>Cymbopogon giganteus</i> Chiov. (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 5♂, same data as holotype (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♂, Iringa region, Njombe, Igosi, 09°18.443’S, 34°29.132’E, 2119m a.s.l., i.2012, ex light trap (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♂, Iringa region, Sao Hill, 08°27.421’S, 35°10.036’E, 1845m a.s.l., i.2012, ex light trap (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN].</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> The male looks brighter the female, and the general shape of the female’s forewing is more elongated at the apex than that of the male (Figs. 2 a–2d). Antennae ochreous, filiform in female, serrate in male, cilia short, fasciculate, flagellum adorned dorsally with brown scales, palpus brown. Male: head and front of thorax ochreous, tegulae bright ochreous legs brown, abdomen grey ochreous. Forewing: a longitudinal brown fascia from the base along the lower margin of the cell partly within the cell, partly without, extending to just before the termen; the cell bistre, all other areas (costa, apex, termen and inner margin) ochreous suffused with fuscous and bistre scales; a small subterminal black spot on vein 5, a postmedial row of 3–4 black spots between the veins, all veins towards the apex adorned with bistre scales. Fringe bistre adorned with a narrow basal brown line. Hindwing; grey strongly suffused with brown scales; fringe bistre with a narrow basal brown line. Underside of the forewing uniformly brown chocolate, all veins adorned with ochreous scales. Underside of hindwing, grey uniformly suffused with brown scales but more densely on costa and apex; veins adorned with ochreous scales. Female: head and front of thorax brown chocolate, tegulae ochreous, legs brown, abdomen grey ochreous. Forewing: a longitudinal brown fascia from the base along the lower margin of the cell partly within the cell, partly without, extending to just before the termen; the cell dark ochreous, all other areas (costa, apex, termen and inner margin) dark ochreous suffused with brown scales; a small subterminal black spot on vein 5, a postmedial row of 3–4 black spots between the veins, all veins towards the apex adorned with ochreous scales. Fringe ochreous adorned with a narrow basal brown line. Hindwing; grey strongly suffused with brown scales; fringe grey ochreous with a narrow basal brown line. Underside of the forewing grey ochreous strongly suffused with brown scales, all veins adorned with ochreous scales. Underside of hindwing, grey uniformly suffused with brown scales but more densely on costa and apex; veins adorned with brown scales.</p> <p> <i>Wingspan</i> 24–26 mm (males) (n = 10); 25–29 mm (females) (n = 9).</p> <p>Male (24-26-25-24-24-24-26-26-26-25), Female (25-25-27-27-28-27-29-29-25)</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (Figs. 3 c, 3g). Uncus long and wide, tapering to a fine point and tufted with long hair on the upperside; tegumen with medium-size rounded peniculi, vinculum with medium-size triangular saccus; valves elongate and narrow, cucullus elongate, rounded at apex and tufted with medium size hairs; sacculus with a small sclerotized clavus without dent; the presence of a sclerotized and pear shaped plate across the upper edge, costal margin with a small sclerotized ridge-like expansion roundly pointed and slightly curved inwardly; the juxta short and pear-shaped. Aedeagus short, slightly curved, manica with a two-lobed sclerotization, less than one fifth length of the aedeagus, ending in a spinose tip; vesica with two dentate ventral cornuti, almost one fifth length of the aedeagus.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (Fig. 3 k). Corpus bursae long and cylindrical with one signa; ductus seminalis from the basal part of the bursa; ductus bursae broad and strongly sclerotized on the ostium side; ventral plate of ostium bursae sclerotized bilobate with medium size lobes bean shaped; dorsal plate large, broad, weakly sclerotized. Ovipositor lobes short and wide (2 times longer than wide) with many stout bristles in addition to the small setae and an apical crest of short stout bristles.</p> <p> <i>Larvae</i> L5 instar (Fig. 4 c): length, 30–35 mm, width, 3.5 mm; head smooth, black, prothoracic shield dark brown; body with ground colour buff, dorsally suffused with pink, pinacula and caudal plate black. Young larvae are very similar in appearance to mature ones.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> Named after the village of Lilomwa in Tanzania.</p> <p> <b>Bionomics.</b> <i>Conicofrontia lilomwa</i> is a markedly hygrophilous species inhabiting grasses along banks of streams, rivers and marshes. Larvae were collected at the bottom of young stems of <i>Cymbopogon giganteus</i> Chiov. Typically, plants exhibiting signs of infestation by <i>C. lilomwa</i> larvae have a curled, brown, central leaf. We suspect that the larvae disperse when they reach the fourth instar. No pupae were found in stems, and therefore borers probably pupate in the soil.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Tanzania. The four recorded localities are from Afromontane (Mosaic no 19) vegetation mosaic (White 1983) (Fig. 6).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Easily separated from other <i>Conicofrontia</i> specie <i>s</i> with the short juxta pear shaped, the small clavus without dent, and the ventral plate of ostium bursae, sclerotized bilobate bean-shaped.</p>Published as part of <i>Ru, Bruno Le, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Conlong, Desmond, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Berg, Johnnie Van Den, Ong'Amo, George & Kergoat, Gael 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 in Zootaxa 3925 (1)</i>, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3925.1.4, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/237179">http://zenodo.org/record/237179</a&gt

Conicofrontia sesamoides Hampson 1902

<i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i> Hampson, 1902 <p>(Figs. 2 e–2h, 3d, 3h, 3l, 4d)</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i> Hampson, 1902:296.</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia sesamiodes</i> (ex errore) Hampson, 1910:338 (recte <i>sesamoides</i> in Tams & Bowden, 1953:651).</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> Holotype (female) of <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i>: <b>South Africa:</b> Eastern Cape formerly Cape Colony, Transkei, no locality name, no collection date, Agrotidae genitalia slide 1212, 1947-345 [BMNH].</p> <p> <b>Other material: South Africa</b>: 1♂, Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, xii.1909 [Agrotidae genitalia slide 1214] (G.F. Leigh, Coll.) [BMNH]; 2♂, 2♀, Kwazulu-Natal, Karkloof River, 29°13.416’S, 30°21.456’E, 1128m a.s.l., xi.2009, ex larvae in <i>Miscanthus capensis</i> (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♀, Kwazulu-Natal, Karkloof Forest, 29°16.282’S, 30°21.381’E, 12913m a.s.l., xi.2009, ex larvae in <i>M. capensis,</i> [1♀ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G302] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♂, 1♀, Kwazulu-Natal, Schevers Farm, 29°10.448’S, 30°21.243’E, 1053m a.s.l., xi.2009, ex larvae in <i>M. capensis</i> (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♂, 1♀, Kwazulu-Natal, Oak Hotel, 29°49.182’S, 30°10.414’E, 1069m a.s.l., xi.2009, ex larvae in <i>M. capensis</i> [1♂ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G306] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♂, 1♀, Kwazulu-Natal, Minerva Game Reserve, 29°47.275’S, 30°11.172’E, 1584m a.s.l., xi.2009, ex larvae in <i>M. capensis</i> [1♂ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G642, 1♀ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G305] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♀, Eastern Cape, Slykraal, 33°22.185’S, 26°28.585’E, 348m a.s.l., xi.2009, ex larvae in <i>M. capensis</i> [1♀ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G307] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN].</p> <p> <b>Redescription.</b> The female holotype (Hampson 1902) and the male have been poorly described. Like for other <i>Conicofrontia</i> spp., the general shape of the female’s forewing is more elongated at the apex than that of the male. Additions to the previous descriptions (Figs. 2 e–2h): antennae ochreous, filiform in female, serrate in male, cilia short, fasciculate, flagellum adorned dorsally with brown scales, palpus ochreous. Head and front of thorax ochreous brown, tegulae bisque, legs brown ringed with bisque, abdomen bisque suffused with brown scales. Forewing: male: a longitudinal dark brown fascia from the base along the lower margin of the cell partly within the cell, partly without, extending to just before the termen; the cell bisque, all other areas (costa, apex, termen and inner margin) bisque suffused with brown scales; a small subterminal black spot on vein 5, a postmedial row of 3–4 black spots between the veins, all veins towards the apex adorned with bisque scales. Fringe bisque adorned successively with a narrow basal grey line, a thick bisque line and a thick brown line. Hindwing; grey strongly suffused with brown scales; fringe bisque with a thick wide basal line highlighted in the middle with a narrow brown line. Underside of the forewing buff, costa, apex and inner margin bisque suffused with brown scales, less suffusion in the inner margin. Underside of hindwing bisque suffused with brown scales but more densely on costa and apex. The wing pattern of the female is very similar but all colours brighter.</p> <p> <i>Wingspan</i> 24–27 mm (males) (n = 9); 26–30 mm (females) (n = 9).</p> <p>Male (27-24-24-25-25-27-25-25-26), Female (29-30-28-27-29-26-29-30-25)</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (Figs. 3 d, 3h). Uncus long and wide, tapering to a fine point and tufted with long hair on the upperside; tegumen with medium-size rounded peniculi, vinculum with medium-size triangular saccus; valves elongate and narrow; cucullus elongate, rounded at apex and tufted with medium size hairs; sacculus with an heavily sclerotized and dentate clavus pointed to the apex, all dents with the same size; the presence of a sclerotized and heavily dentate plate across the upper edge of the sacculus, costal margin with a small sclerotized ridge-like expansion roundly pointed and slightly curved inwardly; the juxta plate-like narrowing at the tip. Aedeagus short, slightly curved, manica with a two-lobed sclerotization, less than one fifth length of the aedeagus, ending in a spinose tip; vesica with two small dentate ventral cornuti, less than one sixth length of the aedeagus.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (Fig. 3 l). Corpus bursae long and cylindrical with one signa; ductus seminalis from the basal part of the bursa; ductus bursae short, broad and strongly sclerotized on the ostium side; ventral plate of ostium bursae sclerotized bilobate deeply invaginated at middle, thus forming an oval-shaped ventral wall of antrum; dorsal plate large, broad, weakly sclerotized. Ovipositor lobes short and wide (2.5 times longer than wide) with many stout bristles in addition to the small setae and an apical crest of short stout bristles.</p> <p> <i>Larvae</i> L5 instar (Fig. 4 d): length, 30–35mm, width, 3.5 mm; head smooth, red brown, prothoracic shield orange brown; body with ground colour buff, dorsally suffused with pink, pinacula and caudal plate orange brown. Young larvae are very similar in appearance to mature ones.</p> <p> <b>Bionomics.</b> <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i> is a markedly hygrophilous species inhabiting grasses along banks of streams, rivers and marshes. Larvae were collected at the bottom of young stems <i>Miscanthus capensis</i> stems, always solitary. Typically, plants exhibiting signs of infestation by <i>C. sesamoides</i> larvae have a curled, brown, central leaf. Damaged stems had a small hole (ca. 2 mm diameter) located approximately 10 cm from ground level. We suspect that the larvae disperse when they reach the fourth instar. No pupae were found in stems, and therefore borers probably pupate in the soil. Infestation of sugar cane fields, <i>Saccharum officinarum</i> Linnaeus, was also recently observed in the Republic of South Africa by Bruno Le Ru (Y. Assefa. pers. com.).</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Republic of South Africa. The ten records are from Afromontane (Mosaic no 19) and Afromontane related (Mosaic n° 20, 24, 48) vegetation mosaics (White 1983) (Fig. 6).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Easily separated from other <i>Conicofrontia</i> species with the long juxta plate-like, dentate clavus pointed to the apex and the ventral plate of ostium bursae sclerotized bilobate deeply invaginated at middle, thus forming an oval-shaped ventral wall of antrum.</p>Published as part of <i>Ru, Bruno Le, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Conlong, Desmond, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Berg, Johnnie Van Den, Ong'Amo, George & Kergoat, Gael 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 in Zootaxa 3925 (1)</i>, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3925.1.4, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/237179">http://zenodo.org/record/237179</a&gt

Hygrostola dallolmoi (Berio) Le Ru, comb. nov.

<i>Hygrostola dallolmoi</i> (Berio) Le Ru, comb. nov. <p>(Figs. 5 a– 5g)</p> <p> <i>Conicofrontia dallolmoi</i> Berio, 1973:143.</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> Holotype (male) of <i>Conicofrontia dallolmoi</i>: <b>Tanzania:</b> Kipengere Mountain, Ikonda, 19-xii-1970, Prep. Berio N°4974 [MCSN].</p> <p> <b>Other material: Tanzania:</b> 1♂, 1♀, Iringa region, Njombe, Igosi, 09°18.443’S, 34°29.132’E, 2119m a.s.l., i.2012, ex light trap [1♂ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G90, 1♀ gen. prep. LERU Bruno/G91] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 2♂, 1♀, Iringa, Dabaga, 08°01.549’S, 35°51.131’E, 1832 m a.s.l., xii.2012, ex light trap (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN]; 1♀, Iringa, Sao Hill, 08°27.421’S, 35°10.036’E, 1845m a.s.l., i.2012, ex light trap [1♀, gen. prep. LERU Bruno/ G98] (B. Le Ru, leg.) [MNHN].</p> <p> <b>Redescription.</b> The male holotype was poorly described by Berio (1973). The female is described here for the first time; it looks very similar to that of the male, however a little bit larger (Figs. 5 a–5d): antennae ochreous, filiform in female, serrate in male, cilia short, fasciculate, flagellum adorned dorsally with ochreous scales, palpus brown, eyes brown. Head and front of thorax ochreous brown, tegulae ochreous, legs fuscous with brown scales, ground colour of abdomen ochreous adorned with a dense suffusion of brown scales on the top particularly in the male. Forewing: a longitudinal thin and short brown fascia from the base along the lower margin of the cell, defined by the greatly indented sub-basal and antemedian veins. The cell ochreous, all other areas (costa, apex, termen and inner margin) ochreous suffused with brown scales; a black spot at the base of the fascia just on the subbasal vein, antemedian vein adorned with brown scales. Fringe bistre adorned successively with a narrow basal ochreous line, and brown spots, variable in number, between the veins. Hindwing: ground colour ochreous strongly suffused with brown scales; an oblique longitudinal fuscous fascia between the posterior cubital and the 1A+2A anal veins, the anal area adorned with dark ochreous, a brown diffuse spot at the apex of the cell; fringe bistre adorned with a broken and brown broad basal line. Underside of forewing bright ochreous slightly suffused with brown scales in the costa, termen and inner margin areas, strongly suffused with brown scales in the apex and cell areas, two brown spots in the cell, a post-medial series of brown elongated marks on the veins, fringe bistre adorned with brown spots, variable in number, between the veins; Underside of hindwing uniformly suffused with brown scales, one brown spot in the cell, a post-medial series of brown elongated marks on the veins, fringe bistre adorned with brown spots, variable in number, between the veins.</p> <p> <i>Wingspan</i> 53–56 mm (males) (n = 5); 57–58 mm (females) (n = 3).</p> <p>Male (53, 56, 55, 54, 54), Female (57, 58, 58)</p> <p> <i>Male genitalia</i> (Figs. 5 e, 5f). Uncus long and thin, rounded at the apex and tufted with medium size hair on the upperside; tegumen with medium-size rounded peniculi, vinculum with medium-size rounded saccus, with a pronounced u-shaped indentation at the top margin; valves elongate and narrow; strong cucullus, club-shaped, with a short neck tufted with bristles; sacculus without clavus, presence of a sclerotized plate across the upper edge of the sacculus, costal margin with a small sclerotized ridge-like expansion roundly pointed and slightly curved inwardly; juxta small and flattened. Aedeagus short, curved, without cornuti, presence of a sclerotized elongate like carina crest, vesica armed with many rows of short stout spines.</p> <p> <i>Hygrostola dallolmoi</i>: 5a—male upper side, 5b—male under side, 5c—female upper side, 5d—female under side, 5e male genitalia, 5f—male penis, 5g—female genitalia.</p> <p> <i>Female genitalia</i> (Fig. 5 g). Corpus bursae long and cylindrical without signa; ductus seminalis from the basal part of the bursa; ductus bursae short, bulb-shaped and slightly sclerotized; ostium bursae small with a cup-shaped antrum; dorsal plate large broad, sclerotized. Ovipositor lobes long and narrow 3 times longer than wide, with small setae, rounded at apex with an apical crest of short stout bristles.</p> <p> <b>Bionomics.</b> Biology unknown. The moths were caught with a light trap in grasslands surrounding wetlands inhabited with <i>Cymbopogon</i> spp., <i>Cyperus</i> spp., <i>Hyparrhenia</i> spp., <i>Sporobolus</i> spp. However considering the large size of this species, the host plant probably belongs to a species with a thick stem like <i>Cymbopogon giganteus</i> Chiov. or <i>Cyperus</i> spp.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Tanzania. The four records are from Afromontane (Mosaic no 19) vegetation mosaic (White 1983) (Fig. 6).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Easily separated from <i>Conicofrontia</i> spp. with an uncus rounded apically, a broad club-shaped cucullus, a very small and flattened juxta, absence of two-lobed sclerotization on the manica, no cornuti, elongated ovipositor, no signa.</p> <p> <b>Phylogenetic and molecular species delimitation analyses.</b> The ML analyses yield a best ML tree with a likelihood score of -14326.10 (Fig. 7). Overall the tree is well supported and all nodes leading to putative taxa (i.e. morphospecies) have BV> 70%. Regarding the five species of interest, our analyses underline that <i>Conicofrontia</i> sensu Poole (1989) is paraphyletic because of the position of <i>H. dallolmoi</i>, which appears phylogenetically unrelated to the other <i>Conicofrontia</i> species. Specimens belonging to the <i>Conicofrontia</i> genus constitute a wellsupported clade (BV of 100%). Within this clade it is interesting to note that specimens corresponding to <i>C. bipartita</i> and <i>C. sesamoides</i> are not closely related. <i>Conicofrontia sesamoides</i> is sister to a clade grouping <i>C. bipartita</i> and <i>C. diamesa</i>; these three species which are distributed in the Republic of South Africa are sister to the last species, <i>C. lilomwa</i> from Tanzania. Regarding the PTP molecular species delimitation analyses, the putative molecular species clusters are completely consistent with the morphological identification.</p>Published as part of <i>Ru, Bruno Le, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Conlong, Desmond, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Berg, Johnnie Van Den, Ong'Amo, George & Kergoat, Gael 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 in Zootaxa 3925 (1)</i>, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3925.1.4, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/237179">http://zenodo.org/record/237179</a&gt