Siccia nepa, Volynkin, 2023

Volynkin, Anton V., 2023, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Siccia Walker (= Aemene Walker, syn. n.) in the Afrotropics with descriptions of seventy-three new species, three new subspecies, and a check-list of Asiatic taxa of the genus (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 64, pp. 1-184 : 38-39

Siccia nepa sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CE9E694F-53D8-42CF-B3C9-66D713C675C5

( Figs 78, 79 , 333, 334 , 475 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 78 , 333 ): male, “ Ivory Coast 40m | Banco National Park | 05˚23'3.8''N, 04˚03'11.2''W | 29.xi.–5.xii.2019, LepiLED Light | Trap, Aristophanous, M., | Dérozier, V., Moretto, P., | Outtara, S. Leg. | ANHRT:2019.23” / “ANHRTUK | 00220601” / “Slide | AV6624 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. IVORY COAST: 4 males, the same data as holotype, LepiLED & Actinic Light Traps, gen. prep. Nos.: AV6636, AV6637, AV6638 ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 39–48m, Abidjan, Banco Forest (Parc-National du Banco), 05˚23'03.8''N, 04˚03'11.2''W, 21–30.iv.2017, MV Light Trap, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6749 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 5.5 mm in males and 6.5 mm in the female. Siccia nepa is externally reminiscent of S. grossagranularis and S. perigraphoides but distinguished by its markedly smaller size. In the male genital capsule, the new species differs from both the similar species in the broader valva with a strongly elongate and narrow process of the cucullus. The phallus of S. nepa is shorter than in the aforementioned congeners. The vesica shape of the new species is similar to S. perigraphoides but differs in the bilobate distal diverticulum (it is unilobate in the congener), and the presence of an additional conical diverticulum ventrally. The female genitalia of S. nepa are most similar to S. orbiculata but distinguished by the shorter apophyses anteriores, the posteriorly broader ductus bursae with a medial depression in the ventral margin of the ostium bursae, and the considerably broader corpus bursae having larger postero-lateral gelatinous protrusions.

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from coastal Ivory Coast.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the shape of the valva of the new species, which is reminiscent of the raptorial foreleg of members of the aquatic Heteropteran family Nepidae . The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 63–79. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 63, 64, 66 and 67 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 65, 71–79 in ANHRT; 68 in HNHM; 69 in MfN; 70 in GMF-B.

Figures 333–336. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 333, 334, 336 in ANHRT; 335 in MfN.

Figures 474–478. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 474, 475, 477 and 478 in ANHRT; 476 in GMF-B.