Sesamia luyaensis, Le Ru, 2015

Kergoat, Gael J., Toussaint, Emmanuel F. A., Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Clamens, Anne-Laure, Ong, George, Amo, Conlong, Desmond, Berg, Johnnie Van Den, Cugala, Domingos, Pallangyo, Beatrice, Mubenga, Onesime, Chipabika, Gilson, Ndemah, Rose, Sezonlin, Michel, Bani, Gregoire, Molo, Richard, Ali, Abdalla, Calatayud, Paul-Andre, Kaiser, Laure, Silvain, Jean-Francois & Ru, Bruno Le, 2015, Integrative taxonomy reveals six new species related to the Mediterranean corn stalk borer Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Sesamiina), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 175 (2), pp. 244-270 : 255-257

SESAMIA LUYAENSIS LE RU SP. NOV.

( FIGS 5A–D; 7C,I; 8D; 9C; 10)

Type material examined. Holotype male: Kenya: Kakamega Forest, Western province , 00°10.887′N, 34°56.345′E, 1400 m a.s.l., X 2007, ex larva, in stem of Cyperus papyrus L, gen. prep. LERU Bruno /G17, B. Le Ru leg., MNHN, Paris . Paratypes: Kenya: 1 female gen. prep. LERU Bruno /G443 , 1 male gen. prep. LERU Bruno /G445 , 1 male gen. prep. LERU Bruno / G446 , 1 female gen. prep. LERU Bruno /G444 , 2 males, 2 females, same data as holotype, B. Le Ru leg., MNHN, Paris .

DESCRIPTION ( FIG. 5A–D)

Antennae short, bipectinate, serrate at apex in the male, filiform in the female, flagellum with ochraceous scales. Palpus camel; body colour and wing pattern similar in both sexes, but slightly darker in male. Head and thorax camel covered with long hairs. Abdomen camel. Legs camel, fore femur and tibia strongly infuscated on their inner surfaces. Forewing camel densely suffused with chocolate scales from the cell towards the termen; costal and basal margin suffused with black scales. Some black markings, variable in extent and intensity; an antemedial black spot below the cell; a postmedial row of spots; a longitudinal grey fascia from base along lower margin of cell, partly within, partly without cell limited to the first two-thirds of the wing. Veins suffused with camel scales; fringe tan with a basal camel line. Hindwings white, veins m3, c1 and c2 adorned with a spot of brown scales, apex and terminal area suffused with black scales; fringe buff iridescent. Underside of forewings bole, chamoisee on the base; fringe bright chamoisee with a basal tan line. Underside of hindwings bright tan, costa and apex densely suffused with chamoisee scales. Veins suffused with chamoisee scales; fringe bright chamoisee with a basal tan line.

Wingspan 32–34 mm (males) (n = 7); 35–44 mm (females) (n = 12).

Male (33, 34, 32, 33, 33, 34, 32, 32)

Female (36, 36, 43, 37, 44, 39, 36, 35, 37, 35, 38, 39)

Male genitalia ( Fig. 7C,I) Uncus small, narrow, pointed apically. Tegumen with large peniculi. Vinculum with a large and deep saccus, u-shaped. Extension of sacculus narrow slightly curved inwards with several rows of short stout spines on the tip. Long slightly spatulated cucullus and long coastal spine bifid with the inner tooth longer and stronger, slightly dentated at the base. Juxta pear-shaped with a short narrow neck and long bifid. Aedeagus ( Fig. 7I) long, slightly dilated basally and curved in the middle, presence of sclerotized elongate carina crest. Female genitalia ( Fig. 8D) Corpus bursae elongate without signa; ductus bursae short, strongly sclerotized near the ostium; lateral plates of ostial segment medium sized, slightly sclerotized, not rounded, 2 times longer than wide. Ovipositor lobes 3.5 times longer than wide.

Larvae L5 instar ( Fig. 9C): length, 40–45 mm, breadth, 4.0 mm; head smooth, dark brown, prothoracic shield pale brown; body with ground colour pink purple adorned with two lateral, narrow, bright buff stripes, pinnacula pale yellow brown and caudal plate brown. Young larvae are very similar in appearance to mature ones.

Etymology: epithet of Luya, the largest tribe in western Kenya.