@article {23023, title = {Description of two new species of Dinometa from East Africa with remarks on D. maputuana (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {5397}, year = {2023}, month = {08/01/2024}, pages = {486{\textendash}496}, chapter = {486}, abstract = {

\"The genus Dinometa Aurivillius, 1927 (type species Gastroplakaeis maputuana Wichgraf, 1906) is reviewed, with two new species described: Dinometa ethani sp. n. from Tanzania and Dinometa abigailae sp. n. from Kenya and Tanzania. All Dinometa species showed no significant differences in male genitalia, but D. ethani sp. n. and D. abigailae sp. n. are allopatric with D. maputuana. D. abigailae sp. n. has specific reddish spots on hindwings that distinguishes it from closely distributed D. ethani sp. n. Two D. maputuana specimens collected at the same night and locality in the Republic of South Africa have an intraspecific variation of 1.52\% in cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, while all barcoded D. maputuana are 2.43\–2.74\% distant from D. ethani sp. n. Adults, male genitalia and distribution maps of all three species are illustrated.\"

}, keywords = {BARCODING, CATALOGUE, COI, DINOMETA, GASTROPLAKAEIS, KENYA, LASIOCAMPIDAE, MALE GENITALIA, MOZAMBIQUE, MTDNA, NAMIBIA, NEIGHBOR-JOINING, SOUTH AFRICA, TANZANIA}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5397.4.2}, author = {Prozorov, A.M. and Prozorova, T.A. and Yakovlev, R.V. and Volkova, J.S. and Saldaitis, A. and Sulak, H. and Revay, E.E. and M{\"u}ller, G.C.} } @article {22522, title = {Mitogenomics and phylogenetics of twelve species of African Saturniidae (Lepidoptera)}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {10}, year = {2022}, pages = {e13275}, chapter = {e13275}, abstract = {

\"African Saturniidae (Lepidoptera) include numerous species consumed at the caterpillar stage throughout the continent, and their importance to local communities as a source of nutrition and seasonal income cannot be overestimated. However, baseline genetic data with utility for the characterization of their diversity, phylogeography and phylogenetic relationships have remained scarce compared to their Asian counterparts. To bridge this gap, we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of 12 species found in southern Africa for comparative mitogenomics and phylogenetic reconstruction of the family, including the first representatives of the tribes Eochroini and Micragonini. Mitochondrial gene content and organization were conserved across all Saturniidae included in the analyses. The phylogenetic positions of the 12 species were assessed in the context of publicly available mitogenomes using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. The monophyly of the tribes Saturniini, Attacini, Bunaeini and Micragonini, the sister relationship between Saturniini and Attacini, and the placement of Eochroa trimenii and Rhodinia fugax in the tribes Eochroini and Attacini, respectively, were strongly supported. These results contribute to significantly expanding genetic data available for African Saturniidae and allow for the development of new mitochondrial markers in future studies.\"

}, keywords = {BARCODING, BAYESIAN INFERENCE, DNA, EOCHROA, MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD, MITOGENOME, MTDNA, NAMIBIA, PHYLOGENY, RHODINIA, SATURNIIDAE, SOUTH AFRICA}, doi = {10.7717/peerj.13275}, url = {http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13275}, author = {Nethavhani, Z. and Straeuli, R. and Hiscock, K. and Veldtman, R. and Morton, A. and Oberprieler, R.G. and van Asch, B.} } @article {22084, title = {Mitochondrial genomes and polymorphic regions of Gonimbrasia belina and Gynanisa maja (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), two important edible caterpillars of Southern Africa}, journal = {International Journal of Biological Macromolecules}, volume = {144}, year = {2020}, month = {01/2020}, pages = {632-642}, chapter = {632}, abstract = {

\"Mopane worms are the vernacular designation for the edible caterpillars of the African emperor moths Gonimbrasia belina and Gynanisa maja. Both species, particularly G. belina, are widely harvested in Southern Africa, and their populations are declining. Despite their commercial, nutritional, and cultural importance, their genetic data are currently unavailable. We sequenced two complete mitogenomes from each species using Ion Torrent technology, and identified informative markers in the complete mitogenomes of the two species for use in future studies. Comparing the conspecific mitogenomes allowed the identification of regions with high nucleotide diversity in ATP6, ND1, ND4, ND5, ND6, and CYTB genes. The final panels of markers will allow for the survey of 3117 bp in G. belina, and 3990 bp in Gy. maja. Phylogenetic reconstruction within the family Saturniidae recovered the tribe Bunaeini as monophyletic and basal to Saturniidae, and the tribe Attacini as a monophyletic clade nested within the tribe Saturniini. The G. belina and Gy. maja mitogenomes are the first representatives of African Saturniidae, a taxonomic group with relevance as a food resource on the continent. This study represents the first step towards assessing the genetic diversity, population structure, and phylogeography of African edible caterpillars.\"

}, keywords = {BAYESIAN INFERENCE, BUNAEINI, GONIMBRASIA, GYNANISA, HUMAN FOOD, MITOGENOME, MTDNA, NAMIBIA, PHYLOGENY, SATURNIIDAE, SOUTH AFRICA}, author = {Langley, J. and Van der Westhuizen, S. and Morland, G. and van Asch, B.} }