A revision of the genus Poeonoma Tams & Bowden (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Apameini: Sesamiina) with the description of a new genus and two new sesamiine species from the Afrotropical region

Abstract

Summary: The genus Poeonoma Tams & Bowden, 1953 is revised to include two species P. serrata (Hampson, 1910) and P. ugandensis Le Ru n. sp., from the Congolian bioregion. Several new synonyms are introduced for Poeonoma serrata: Conicofrontia sjoestedti Aurivillius, 1925 n. syn. for Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910), Poeonoma similis Tams & Bowden, 1953 n. syn. for Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910), and Poeonoma nigribasis Laporte, 1974 n. syn. for Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910). A new genus, Nyaluteme Le Ru n. gen., is proposed for two species formerly included in Poeonoma, N. acantha (Tams & Bowden, 1953) n. comb. and N. inermis (Laporte, 1973) n. comb., and N. nigra Le Ru n. sp., described from the Congolian bioregion. Host-plants for three of the species are recorded: Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. for P. serrata and P. ugandensis, and Miscanthus violaceus (K. Schum) Pilg. for N. nigra. A key to species, descriptions, illustrations of adults and genitalia, and distribution maps are included. Results of previously published phylogenetic analyses also allow the status of the new genus to be confirmed and to infer the phylogenetic placement of the two genera.