Summary In this study, we review six morphologically similar species of Sesamia Guenée, 1852 from Africa, including three new species that are described: Sesamia corymbosus Le Ru n. sp., S. schoenoplectus Le Ru n. sp. and S. temberma Le Ru n. sp. These six species belong to a species complex that we hereby define as the Sesamia coniota group. Host plants of four species are recorded: Schoenoplectus corymbosus (Roth ex Roem. & Schult.) J. Raynal. for S. corymbosus and S. schoenoplectus, Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitschc. & Chase, Eriochloa meyeriana (Nees) Pilg., Schoenoplectus corymbosus and Typha latifolia L. for S. jansei, Tams & Bowden, 1953 and Pennisetum sp. for S. temberma. We also conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses on a multimarker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 36 specimens (including 32 specimens belonging to the S. coniota group). Molecular analyses allow assessing the phylogenetic relationships of five out of six species of the group.

Summary With a species count reaching almost 100 species, the genus Acrapex is the most diverse genus of sesamiine stemborers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Apameini: Sesamiina). Acrapex species are mostly distributed in the Afrotropics and consist of several large clades corresponding to distinct species complexes. In this study, 45 morphologically similar species of Acrapex from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including 22 new species that are described: Acrapex alemura n. sp., A. barnsi n. sp., A. capelongo n. sp., A. congoensis n. sp., A. elgona n. sp., A. elisabethiana n. sp., A. eucantha n. sp., A. grandis n. sp., A. igominyi n. sp., A. inexpectata n. sp., A. ketoma n. sp., A. lilomwi n. sp., A. mafinga n. sp., A. makete n. sp., A. marungu n. sp., A. mazoe n. sp., A. mlanje n. sp., Acrapex muchinga n. sp., A. ngorongoro n. sp., A. obscura n. sp., A. ruiru n. sp. and A. wittei n. sp. Supplemental descriptions for previously described species are provided as well. These 45 species are assigned to the newly defined Acrapex aenigma species group. We also conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and molecular species delimitation analyses on a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 304 specimens (including 256 Acrapex specimens from 54 species of which 16 species belong to the A. aenigma group). Molecular phylogenetics analyses recover well-supported relationships within Acrapex and support the monophyly of the newly defined group. Results of molecular species delimitation analyses are mostly congruent and tend to corroborate the status of the sampled Acrapex species. Consistent with what has been previously found in other studies, the comparison of results from distinct methods and settings for molecular species delimitation analyses allows us to assess species boundaries with more confidence.

Summary With a species count reaching almost 100 species, the genus Acrapex is the most diverse genus of sesamiine stemborers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Apameini: Sesamiina). Acrapex species are mostly distributed in the Afrotropics and consist of several large clades corresponding to distinct species complexes. In this study, 45 morphologically similar species of Acrapex from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including 22 new species that are described: Acrapex alemura n. sp., A. barnsi n. sp., A. capelongo n. sp., A. congoensis n. sp., A. elgona n. sp., A. elisabethiana n. sp., A. eucantha n. sp., A. grandis n. sp., A. igominyi n. sp., A. inexpectata n. sp., A. ketoma n. sp., A. lilomwi n. sp., A. mafinga n. sp., A. makete n. sp., A. marungu n. sp., A. mazoe n. sp., A. mlanje n. sp., Acrapex muchinga n. sp., A. ngorongoro n. sp., A. obscura n. sp., A. ruiru n. sp. and A. wittei n. sp. Supplemental descriptions for previously described species are provided as well. These 45 species are assigned to the newly defined Acrapex aenigma species group. We also conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and molecular species delimitation analyses on a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 304 specimens (including 256 Acrapex specimens from 54 species of which 16 species belong to the A. aenigma group). Molecular phylogenetics analyses recover well-supported relationships within Acrapex and support the monophyly of the newly defined group. Results of molecular species delimitation analyses are mostly congruent and tend to corroborate the status of the sampled Acrapex species. Consistent with what has been previously found in other studies, the comparison of results from distinct methods and settings for molecular species delimitation analyses allows us to assess species boundaries with more confidence.

Country-wide surveys of lepidopteran stem borers in wild host plants were undertaken between 2006 and 2009 in South Africa and 2005 and 2010 in Mozambique. A total of 4438 larvae were collected from 65 wild host plants in South Africa and 1920 larvae from 30 wild host plants in Mozambique. In South Africa and Mozambique, 50 and 39 stem borer species were recovered, respectively, with four new species and two new genera among noctuids. Less than 5% of the total number of species collected are considered to be economically important in Africa. These species were Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Noctuidae), Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Crambidae) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Noctuidae). Data from this study and others in East Africa on the very low abundance of stem borers in wild host plants question the putative role of wild host plants as reservoir for stem borer pests. One new host plant family (Prioniaceae), as well as 24 and 13 wild hosts from South Africa and Mozambique respectively, was added to the list of known hosts in Africa.

The diversity of lepidopterous stem borers, their parasitoids and their associated wild host plants was studied in South Africa between 2006 and 2009 and in Mozambique between 2005 and 2010. In South Africa, 20 species of parasitoids were recovered from 17 stem borer species collected on 16 wild host plant species. From Mozambique, 14 parasitoid species were recorded from 16 stem borer species collected on 14 wild host plant species. The highest diversity of parasitoids was recorded on stem borers that attacked the host plants Phragmites australis (7 spp.) and Panicum maximum (6 spp.), in South Africa and Mozambique, respectively. Bracon sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Procerochasmias nigromaculatus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were the most recorded parasitoid species in South Africa while Cotesia sesamiae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitized most stem borer species in Mozambique. The most common tachinid parasitoid recorded in this study was Sturmiopsis parasitica (Diptera: Tachinidae). Parasitism of stem borers during the off season was previously thought to occur mainly in natural habitats but this study shows that although natural habitats provided refuges for some parasitoid species, stem borer parasitism was generally low in wild host plants, irrespective of whether collections were done during the cropping or off-season. Parasitoid beta diversity did not depend on habitat or host plant species, but was determined by stem borer diversity.

Each paper must commence with an accurate, informative abstract. It should not exceed 250 words. A short title should also be provided for use as a running head. References References must be based on the name and year system, give full journal titles and conform to the following styles: Follett, P.A. & Roderick, G.K. (1996) Genetic estimates of dispersal ability in the leucaena psyllid predator Curinus coeruleus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): implications for biological control. Bulletin of Entomological Research 86, 355–361. Nevill, E.M., Kappmeier, K. & Venter, G.J. (1993) Tsetse fly research in Zululand. p. 81 in Proceedings of the ninth Entomological Congress organized by the Entomological Society of Southern Africa, Johannesburg, 28 June–1 July 1993 Pretoria, Entomological Society of South Africa. Wilson, M.D. & Post, R.J. (1994) Integration of mor pho metric, cytogenetic and molecular techniques: a case study of Simulium damnosum pp. 215–224 in Hawksworth, D.L. (Ed.) The identification and characterization of pest organisms. Wallingford, CAB International. Please list papers by more than two authors, but with the same first author, by year sequence and alphabetically within each year. Citation of authors in the text should appear in the form: Polaszek (1996) or (Polaszek, 1996). Authors should be cited in chronological order as: (Blackman et al., 1994; Roberts & Kumar, 1995). Tables Tables should be in a simple form and should not be used if text or illustrations give the same information. They can either be submitted as separate files (Microsoft Word or Excel) or embedded within the main manuscript file. Each table must have a clear and concise caption. Illustrations Illustrations should be submitted in TIF or EPS format at approximate final publication size. Resolution of artwork should be at the following minimum resolutions: Line artwork (black & white), 1200dpi; Combination, i.e. line/tone (greyscale), 800dpi; Black & White halftone (greyscale), 300dpi; and Colour halftone, 300dpi. Comprehensive guidance on creating suitable electronic figures is available at http://dx.sheridan.com/guidelines/digital_ art.html where you will find extensive guidelines on preparing electronic figures. An online preflighting tool (http://dx.sheridan. com/index.html) is also available where you can check if your figures are suitable for reproduction. Captions should be listed at the end of the manuscript text. Supplementary Material Additional information which due to its nature does not lend itself to print media (examplesfull data sets, movie or sounds files etc...) may be submitted for online-only publication. Please see full details (“Instructions for Contributors”) at journals.cambridge. org/ber. Technical and Nomenclature Standards All work should use SI units as standard. Anatomical terms can be a mixture of the English vernacular and Latin, depending on current usage. Manuscript Preparation We kindly ask that you follow the instructions below when preparing your manuscript for submission. This will minimize the risk of errors being introduced during the publishing process. • Use double-line spacing and ample margins (at least 2.5cm) on each side. • Do not underline anything • Use line numbers • Do not indent the start of each paragraph • Use italics for taxonomic nomenclature and bold for headings • Use standard abbreviations (e.g. Fig. and Figs) and SI units • Use British rather than American Spellings and ‘z’ rather than ‘s’ spellings in words with ‘ize’. Voucher specimens The deposition of voucher specimens should be considered where appropriate. Manuscript Submission All manuscripts should be submitted via our on-line system, Editorial Manager, at http://www.editorialmanager.com/ber. New users will need to register first. Peer review Communications for peer review will be by email as far as possible. Authors are invited to suggest the names and contact details of at least two potential referees and are asked to provide keywords indicating the content of the manuscript. Please also give a brief description (no more than 50 words) of why the manuscript is an important contribution to entomology research.

Currently, the systematics of the African noctuid stem borers of the subtribe Sesamiina, which include major pests of cereals, is confused. In addition, their ecology is poorly known, as are the factors influencing their evolution. In this paper, we address these shortcomings for two genera of the Sesamiina, Sciomesa Tams & Bowden and Carelis Bowden. Mixed Bayesian phylogenetic analysis, which included their host plants and two mitochondrial genes, showed the genus Sciomesa to be polyphyletic. Two new genera were created, Pirateolea and Feraxinia. The genus Carelis proved to be paraphyletic and was subdivided into two sub-genera. The genera Sciomesa, Carelis and Pirateolea (named the 'Sciomesa genus group') share morphological traits, and the phylogenetic analysis showed that they had a common ancestor living on Cyperaceae and that they were distant from the genus Feraxinia belonging to another clade which had an ancestor living on Poaceae. Seven new species were described: Sciomesa gnosia sp. n., Sciomesia bua sp. n., Pirateolea nola gen. n, sp. n., Feraxinia serena gen. n., sp. n., Carelis australis sp. n., Carelis transversa sp. n. and Carelis agnae sp. n. Ten species were sunk as synonyms: Sciomesa mesoscia (Hampson) syn. n., Sciomesa mirifica Laporte syn. n., Sciomesa constantini Laporte syn. n. and Sciomesa etchecopari Laporte syn. n. are synonyms of Sciomesa mesophaea (Aurivillius); Acrapex sparsipucta Laporte syn. n. is a synonym of Sciomesa excelsa (Laporte) comb. n.; Acrapex congitae Laporte syn. n., Sesamia minuta Laporte syn. n. and Sesamia minuscula Laporte syn. n. are synonyms of Sciomesa boulardi (Laporte) comb. n.; Acrapex bryae Laporte syn. n. and Acrapex fayei Laporte syn. n. are synonyms of Feraxinia jemjemensis (Laporte) comb. n. Eleven new combinations were created: Sciomesa excelsa (Laporte) comb. n., Sciomesa boulardi (Laporte) comb. n., Sciomesa punctipennis (Krüger) comb. n., Pirateolea piscator (Fletcher) comb. n., Pirateolea argocyma (Fletcher) comb. n., Pirateolea cyclophora (Fletcher) comb. n., Pirateolea ochroneura (Fletcher) comb. n., Pirateolea funebris (Krüger) comb. n., Feraxinia nyei (Fletcher) comb. n., Feraxinia jemjemensis (Laporte) comb. n. and Carelis biluma (Nye) comb. n.

Abstract The pyralid moth Eldana saccharina Walker is an indigenous insect widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Studies have shown that populations from West Africa have distinct behavioural differences compared to populations from East and southern Africa. In addition, the parasitoid guilds attacking populations in these different regions are markedly different. This marked geographical variation evoked a hypothesis of genetic differentiation. To evaluate this hypothesis a molecular analysis was conducted on populations of E. saccharina from throughout much of the species’ range, using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) region of the mitochondrial genome. A minimum spanning network and a maximum parsimony tree separated the 21 specimens into three distinct groups. Results revealed the presence of substantial genetic differentiation that is related to geographic variation.

The sugarcane stemborer Eldana saccharina is an indigenous African moth found throughout much of subsaharan Africa. Previous research has revealed ecological differences among geographical populations, raising the possibility that E. saccharina may consist of different biotypes. As a first step towards evaluating this hypothesis, E. saccharina populations from across Africa were surveyed for mitochondrial DNA variation. The complete coding regions of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and COII genes were sequenced for three individuals from Benin, Uganda and South Africa, and a fragment of COI was sequenced for additional specimens representing a wider geographical range. The levels of sequence divergence found in comparisons between the northern E. saccharina populations of Benin, Uganda and Cameroon and those of southern Africa were at least as high as those between recognized biotypes in other species. This suggests potentially limited gene flow among E. saccharina populations that merits further investigation.

The sugarcane stemborer Eldana saccharina is an indigenous African moth found throughout much of subsaharan Africa. Previous research has revealed ecological differences among geographical populations, raising the possibility that E. saccharina may consist of different biotypes. As a first step towards evaluating this hypothesis, E. saccharina populations from across Africa were surveyed for mitochondrial DNA variation. The complete coding regions of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and COII genes were sequenced for three individuals from Benin, Uganda and South Africa, and a fragment of COI was sequenced for additional specimens representing a wider geographical range. The levels of sequence divergence found in comparisons between the northern E. saccharina populations of Benin, Uganda and Cameroon and those of southern Africa were at least as high as those between recognized biotypes in other species. This suggests potentially limited gene flow among E. saccharina populations that merits further investigation.