Siccia setis, 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 : 65-66

Siccia setis sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:65AE0FED-8D3A-40FA-B3CF-B04C32548C0D

( Figs 163–165 , 390, 391 , 500 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 163 , 390 ): male, “ Liberia 611m | Lofa County, Wologizi Mts , | base camp forest | 8°07'17''N, 9°57'42''W | 20.xi.–01.xii.2017 | MV light trap (125w) | Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., | Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg. | ANHRT:2017.33” / “ANHRTUK | 00145020” / “Slide | AV6703 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. LIBERIA: 29 males, 3 females, the same data as holotype, gen. prep. No. : AV4464, AV4514, AV4634 (males), AV5663, AV5664, AV7002 (females) ( ANHRT) ; 10 males, 530m, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area , 7˚56'36''N, 10˚16'36''W, 10–19.xi.2017, MV Light Trap (125w), 8 W Actinic and Cold Cathode Light Buckets, Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV4515, AV4542 ( ANHRT) ; 5 males, 3 females, 585m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Rosewood Camp , 8˚06'14.9''N, 9˚58'27.3''W, 18.xi.–1.xii.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8w) and MV Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5109 (male), LG 4845 (prepared by László), AV5203, AV5659 (females) ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 865m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Ridge camp, 807'10''N, 9˚57'11''W, 24–29.xi.2017, Cold Cathode Light Bucket, Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 4 males, 140m, Sinoe County, Krahn-Bassa Reserve, Juboe River , 7.5km SW Pellokon Town, 5˚39'4''N, 8˚39'4''W, 14–20.i.2018, Cold Cathode UV Bucket Light Trap, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; IVORY COAST: 3 males, 174m, Taï NP, Taï Research Station ( SRET) , 05˚50'00''N, 07˚20'32.0''W, 25.iii.–17.iv.2017, MV light, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV3353, AV3361 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 174m, Taï NP, Taï Research Station ( SRET) , 05˚49'59.8''N, 07˚20'32.0''W, 14–23.xi.[20]15, Light Trap , Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3183 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 6.5–8.0 mm in males and 8.5–9.0 mm in females. Siccia setis is externally indistinguishable from S. spinulosia , S. microsticta , S. durantei , S. curvalva , and S. stictica , and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsule of the new species is similar to S. spinulosia but distinguished by the larger cucullus, the distally broader sacculus bearing a short dorsal cluster of spines restricted by its medial section whereas in S. spinulosia , the cluster of spines is considerably longer and stretches from the base of the distal saccular process to the ventral margin of the valva. The phallus of S. setis is somewhat more distally dilated than in S. spinulosia . The vesica of the current new species is largely reminiscent of S. spinulosia but has a larger distal diverticulum and a distal lobe of the subbasal diverticulum which bears a cluster of scobination (it is membranous in the congener). In the female genitalia, the new species differs from S. spinulosia in the broader ductus bursae with gelatinous lateral margins (they are sclerotised in the congener), the denser postero-lateral band-shaped cluster of spines in the corpus bursae, and the markedly shorter lateral subostial lobes.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from four sampled specimens is in the range of 0.00–0.62%. The genetically next-closest species is S. spinulosia differing by 2.83–3.82%.

Distribution. The new species is currently known from Liberia and Ivory Coast.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin ‘setis’ meaning ‘brush’ and refers to the brush-like dorsal cluster of spines in the sacculus. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 163–178. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 163–169, 171–178 in ANHRT; 170 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 390–394. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 390–393 in ANHRT; 394 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 500–504. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 500–503 in ANHRT; 504 in ZSM.