Siccia margopuncta patterna, 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 : 74-75

Siccia margopuncta patterna ssp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EAEB6DB8-5C11-4BD0-BD9F-992407DD2417

( Figs 199–204 , 413 , 511 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 199 , 413 ): male, “ Republic of Congo 372m | Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , | Mbeli camp | 02°14'23.8''N, 16°23'52.1''E | 14–20.ii.2023, MV light trap | Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., | Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. | ANHRT:2023.3” / “ANHRTUK | 00312062” / “Slide | AV7182 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 9 males, 2 females, the same data as holotype, actinic light trap ( ANHRT) ; 5 males, 352m, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Ndoki formation (Secondary forest), 02°12'47.7''N, 16°23'45.8''E, 29.ix.–1.x.2022, LepiLED & actinic light traps, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6975 ( ANHRT) ; 2 males, 356m, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki N. P., Ndoki formation camp (Secondary forest), 02°12'51.5''N, 16°23'40.1''E, 23.vi.2022, Actinic Light Trap, Dérozier, V. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV6860, AV6861 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 372m, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Mbeli camp ( Gilbertiodendron forest), 02°14'23.8''N, 16°23'52.1''E, 1–10.x.2022, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6976 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 370m, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mbeli camp (Moist mixed forest), 02°12'48.5''N, 16°23'45.6''E, 25.vi.2022, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6869 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 375m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mbeli baï (Swamp forest), 02°15'30.4''N, 16°24'39.5''E, 4–10.x.2022, Actinic Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 365m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63''N 16°16'25.82''E, 07–14.ii.2023, MV light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV7172 ( ANHRT) ; GABON: 11 males, 1 female, 430m, Mikongo (Rougier) , Monts de Cristal (Secondary forest), 0°29'47''N 11°10'42''E, 28.vii.–12.viii.2019, LepiLED Actinic and MV Light Traps, Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5150 (male), AV6580 (female) ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, Ogooué Ivindo, P.N. Ivindo , Station de Recherche d’Ipassa, 450m, 0°30'43''N, 12°48'12''E, 14–26.vi.2016, Light Trap, Ruzzier, E., Tasane, T. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6665 ( ANHRT) ; DRC: 2 males, Salonga National Park , 02°45'22.79''S 20°18'55.56''E, Ekongo Camp, January 2017, V.D. Kravchenko & G.C. Müler ( GMF-B) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.0–8.0 mm in males and 6.5– 8.0 mm in females. Siccia margopuncta patterna is externally distinguished from S. margopuncta margopuncta by the somewhat larger size and the presence of the discal spot together with a few additional tiny spots posteriorly and along the costal and outer forewing margins whereas the nominate subspecies has only two spots on the outer forewing margin: a large one medially, which is protruding to the cilia, and a tiny one at the tornus. The male genital capsule of the new subspecies is similar to S. margopuncta margopuncta but differs in the somewhat shorter vinculum, the slightly narrower valva, and the denser setose cluster at the base of the distal process. The phallus of S. margopuncta patterna is somewhat narrower than in S. margopuncta . The vesica configurations of the two species are similar but in S. margopuncta patterna , the distal multilobate diverticulum is somewhat distally broader and bears more numerous subdiverticula outwardly. In the female genitalia of S. margopuncta patterna , the corpus bursae bears an additional, third, tiny signum (vs. two signa in S. margopuncta margopuncta ).

Molecular data. The intrasubpecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from five sampled specimens is in the range of 0.00–0.77%. Since the molecular data are currently unavailable for the nominate subspecies, the COI-5P sequences of S. margopuncta patterna were compared with S. myraina and S. trichota , from which the new subspecies diverges by 3.31–3.64% and 2.66–3.30%, respectively.

Distribution. The new subspecies is currently known from Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Etymology. The subspecific epithet refers to the well-developed forewing pattern of the new subspecies. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 190–206. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 190 and 198 in MfN; 191, 196 and 197 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 192–195, 199–201, and 203–206 in ANHRT; 202 in GMF-B.

Figures 411–414. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 411 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 412 in MfN; 413 and 414 in ANHRT.

Figures 509–512. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 509 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 510 in MfN; 511 and 512 in ANHRT.