Siccia changwena, 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 : 82-83

Siccia changwena sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:07EAE145-94F1-4697-890C-B5F7B1A32DA7

( Figs 222 , 517 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 222 , 517 ): female, “ Zambia 1456m | Changwena Falls , | N. Swaka F.R., Central Prov. | 13°22'48'S, 29°33'18''E | 27–30.i.2019 LepiLED Light Trap | Dérozier, V., Mulvaney, L., | Takano, H. Leg. | ANHRT:2019.4” / “ANHRTUK | 00078745” (DNA barcode iD) / “Slide | AV5658 ♀ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 11.5 mm in the female holotype. The female of the new species is externally reminiscent of the male of S. paraxena but differs in the more uniform greyish-brown forewing ground colour lacking the intense yellow suffusion along the costal and outer margins. As the females of S. malfakassa and S. paraxena are unknown, the female genitalia of S. changwena were compared with S. smithi instead. The female genitalia of S. changwena are distinguished from S. smithi by the considerably longer ductus bursae with a left lateral protrusion and the longer and broader corpus bursae. The latter is membranous posteriorly and medially, scobinated anteriorly, bearing two elongate clusters of basally dilated spines medially and anteriorly, and a band-shaped signum with transverse folds anteriorly whereas the corpus bursae of S. smithi is evenly covered with spinules and bears two short clusters of spines postero-laterally. The appendix bursae of the new species is broadly conical, membranous and bears a broad and dense cluster of spines basally whereas in S. smithi , it is sack-like, evenly covered with minute spinules, with a narrow transverse basal cluster consisting of shorter spinules. Additionally, the lateral subostial crests of S. changwena are semicircular whereas they are proximally trapezoidal and distally triangular and laterally curved in the congener.

Molecular data. As the species is known from its holotype only, the intraspecific variability of its COI-5P sequences could not be calculated. Siccia changwena diverges from S. malfakassa and S. paraxena by 5.09% and 5.26%, respectively.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from its type locality in Central Province of Zambia.

Etymology. The specific epithet is homonymic of the type locality, Changwena Falls. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 207–222. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 207, 209, 210, 212–216, and 220–222 in ANHRT (214: ex AKW); 211 in MfN; 217–219 in RMCA.

Figures 517–520. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 517, 518 and 520 in ANHRT; 519 in AKW.