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Species diversity and distribution of lepidopteran stem borers in S outh A frica and M ozambique
Author(s) -
Moolman J.,
Van den Berg J.,
Conlong D.,
Cugala D.,
Siebert S.,
Le Ru B.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of applied entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0931-2048
DOI - 10.1111/jen.12085
Subject(s) - biology , host (biology) , larva , botany , abundance (ecology) , host specificity , zoology , ecology
Country‐wide surveys of lepidopteran stem borers in wild host plants were undertaken between 2006 and 2009 in S outh A frica and 2005 and 2010 in M ozambique. A total of 4438 larvae were collected from 65 wild host plants in S outh A frica and 1920 larvae from 30 wild host plants in M ozambique. In S outh A frica and M ozambique, 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 A frica. These species were B usseola fusca ( F uller) ( N octuidae), C hilo p artellus ( S winhoe) ( C rambidae) and S esamia calamistis H ampson ( N octuidae). Data from this study and others in E ast A frica 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 ( P rioniaceae), as well as 24 and 13 wild hosts from S outh A frica and M ozambique respectively, was added to the list of known hosts in A frica.