Siccia tsitsikamma, 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 : 99

Siccia tsitsikamma sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:765DA98B-E53D-4DDF-8CDC-9EF97D4C31CD

( Figs 276–278 , 456 , 528 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 276 , 456 ): male, blue label “ RSA, West. Cape | Tsitsikamma N.P. / 31.3. – 1.4.2011 | leg. W. Mey ” / “MfN gen. prep. | A. Volynkin 2021 | N° 343 | ♂ ” ( MfN).

Paratypes. REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: 1 male, 3 females, Eastern Cape, Tsitsikamma Nature Sanctuary: Khoinania , 33°56.871'S, 23°31.272'E, 219m, 16–17.v.2006, A.J. Kingston, gen. prep. Nos.: AV6645 (male), AV6646 (female) ( AKW) ; 1 male, 94m, Eastern Cape, Golden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma , 34°01'S, 23°53'E, 8–11.iii.2018, Kovtunovich, V., Yakovlev, R. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5271 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.5–9.0 mm in males and 9.0– 9.5 mm in females. Siccia tsitsikamma externally differs from S. punctipennis in the larger size, the longer rami of the male antenna, the broader forewing with a creamy white ground colour (it varies from off-white to brown or dark brownish-grey in the congener), and the more distinct and larger, blackish forewing markings. The male genital capsule of S. tsitsikamma is distinguished from S. punctipennis by the longer vinculum, the shorter valva with a narrower and apically tapered cucullus (it is rounded with a short, dorsally directed spike-like tip in the congener), the thinner distal saccular process, and the more robust dentation of the lateral lobes of the juxta. The phallus of the new species is somewhat narrower than in S. punctipennis and bears thinner and slightly longer spines on the carinal plate. The vesica configurations of the two species are similar but in S. tsitsikamma , the dorsal diverticulum is narrower, has a shorter lateral lobe, and bears a narrower cluster of shorter cornuti. In the female genitalia, S. tsitsikamma differs from S. punctipennis in the narrower and more weakly sclerotised ductus bursae, the markedly shorter and narrower corpus bursae bearing weaker spinulose scobination, and the narrower appendix bursae situated more laterally (it is positioned postero-laterally in the congener.

Molecular data. As only a single specimen was sequenced in this study, the intraspecific variability of COI-5P sequences of this species could not be calculated. The morphologically similar S. punctipennis diverges genetically from the new species by 4.15–4.63%.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from the coastal area in southwestern Eastern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa.

Etymology. The specific epithet is homonymic of Tsitsikamma National Park, where the new species was found. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 263–280. Siccia spp. (263–278) and Palaeosiccia punctata (279, 280), adults. Depositories of the specimens: 263, 264, 267, 269, 273–275, 277, and 280 in ANHRT; 265, 266, 268, 272, and 279 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 270 and 276 in MfN; 271 in NHRS (©NHRS, photo by T. Malm); 278 in AKW.

FIGURES 454–457. Siccia spp. (454–456) and Palaeosiccia punctata (457), male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 454, 455 and 457 in ANHRT; 456 in MfN.

Figures 526–530. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 526, 527, 529 and 530 in ANHRT; 528 in AKW.