DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.23732148.v1
title: <strong>Revisiting the taxonomy and molecular systematics of </strong><em><strong>Sesamia</strong></em><strong> stemborers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Apameini: Sesamiina): updated classification and comparative evaluation of species delimitation methods</strong>

description: <em>Sesamia</em> is a speciose genus of noctuid stemborers that occurs only in the Eastern Hemisphere, with most species restricted to the Afrotropics. On the basis of male genitalia, <em>Sesamia</em> species have been traditionally assigned into three species groups (<em>Sesamia coniota</em>, <em>Sesamia cretica </em>and <em>Sesamia nonagrioides</em> species groups). In this study, we reassess the phylogenetic relationships of the whole genus and examine in more detail the members of the <em>Sesamia nonagrioides</em> species group, for which three distinct species complexes are identified. A first species complex is hereby defined as the <em>Sesamia calamistis </em>subgroup and comprises eight species, of which four new species are described: <em>Sesamia kabirara</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, <em>Sesamia kalale</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, <em>Sesamia mapalense</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov. </strong>and <em>Sesamia teke</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>. A second species complex is hereby defined as the <em>Sesamia incerta</em> subgroup; it consists of 11 species, of which four new species are described: <em>Sesamia kamba</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, <em>Sesamia lalaci</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, <em>Sesamia lusese</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov. </strong>and <em>Sesamia msowero</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>. The third species complex is hereby defined as the <em>Sesamia nonagrioides </em>subgroup; it comprises ten species of which two new species are described: <em>Sesamia libode</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov. </strong>and <em>Sesamia satauensis</em> Le Ru <strong>sp. nov.</strong>. Finally, to infer the phylogenetic relationships of <em>Sesamia</em>, the largest molecular dataset ever assembled for this genus (603 individuals from 59 <em>Sesamia </em>species sequenced for up to six gene fragments) is analysed. Phylogenetic and molecular species delimitation analyses allow us to investigate and clarify the status of <em>Sesamia</em> species and species complexes. Our results yield a well-supported phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus, which supports the monophyletic nature of all but one species subgroups. The results of the 16 separate molecular species delimitation analyses that were performed show some levels of incongruence and, overall, a tendency towards over-splitting. We also present an updated list of species for the genus <em>Sesamia</em>, including information on distribution and pest status. Finally, we provide morphological keys based on male and female genitalia to determine the species group of any <em>Sesamia</em> species and to identify all species belonging to the <em>Sesamia nonagrioides </em>species group.
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Files: 
- Supermatrix (.fas)
- Trees for all genes and concatenated dataset (IQTREE)
- Raw results of all molecular species delimiation analyses (ABGD, ASAP, GMYC, PTP, tr2)
- SPART file for LIMES