Siccia lydiae, 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 : 85

Siccia lydiae sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BEE55733-5E7A-440F-A59D-447AEC2D0F29

( Figs 229–231 , 430 , 520 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 229 , 430 ): male, “ Zambia 493m | Lakeview Lodge , Sinazongwe | 17°16'12.9''S, 27°27'54.3''E | 23–28.ii.2019 LepiLED Light Trap | Derozier, V., Imakando, M., | Miles, W., Mulvaney, L. Leg. | ANHRT:2019.5” / “ANHRTUK | 00105180” (DNA barcode iD) / “Slide | AV5767 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. ZAMBIA: 139 males, 31 females, the same data as holotype, MV, LepiLED and Actinic light traps, gen. prep. Nos.: AV5767 (male), AV5768 (female) ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.5–9.5 mm in males and 8.5–11.0 mm in females. Siccia lydiae is externally reminiscent of S. kundalila but distinguished by the broader forewing, the darker, more ochreous ground colour of both wings, and the smaller pattern elements of the forewing. The male genital capsule of the new species differs from S. kundalila in the more rounded subuncal lobes of the tegumen, the somewhat more elongate valva, the slightly longer and more dorsally rounded cucullus bearing a cluster of more robust spines, the broader distal membranous lobe of the valva, and the somewhat curved distal saccular process (it is straight in the congener). Compared to S. kundalila , the phallus of S. lydiae has a shorter carinal cluster consisting of shorter spinules. The vesica of the new species is somewhat broader than in S. kundalila , having a shorter subbasal diverticulum and a somewhat broader distal semiglobular diverticulum, and bearing a thicker terminal cornutus. In the female genitalia, S. lydiae differs from S. kundalila in the longer, broader and less rugose lateral lobes of the antevaginal plate, the longer and more distally tapered lateral lobes of the postvaginal plate, and the corpus bursae bearing a broader right postero-lateral cluster consisting of longer spines.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from three sampled specimens is in the range of 0.14–1.86%. As the molecular data are currently unavailable for the most similar S. kundalila , the COI-5P sequences of S. lydiae were compared with S. bicolorata , from which the new species diverges by 2.68–4.16%.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from its type locality in southern Zambia.

Etymology. The new species is named after Mrs Lydia Mulvaney, Curator of Neuroptera, ANHRT, and one of the collectors of the type series. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

Figures 223–239. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 223 in MHNG (photo by B. Landry); 224, 225, 227, 229–231, and 238, 239 in ANHRT (227: ex AKW); 226 and 233 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 228, 236 and 237 in ALW; 232 in MWM/ZSM; 234 and 235 in MfN.

Figures 427–430. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 427, 429 and 430 in ANHRT (429: ex AKW); 428 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

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