Siccia nzame, 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 : 58-59

Siccia nzame sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9E46D3B3-9226-4127-BEDC-1C55D592E561

( Figs 138–142 , 375, 376 , 495 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 138 , 375 ): male, “ Gabon 430m | Mikongo (Rougier) , Monts | de Cristal (Secondary forest) | 0°29'47''N, 11°10'42''E | 28.vii.–12.viii.2019 MV Light Trap | Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., | Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., | Moretto, P. Leg. | ANHRT:2019.17” / “ANHRTUK | 00105914” (DNA barcode iD) / “Slide | AV5773 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. GABON: 3 males, the same data as holotype, Actinic & LepiLED Light Traps, gen. prep. Nos.: AV6562, AV6608 ( ANHRT) ; REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 male, 353m, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki N.P., Bomassa camp (Secondary forest), 02°12'36.9''N, 16°11'30.2''E, 18.vi.–3.vii.2022, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6873 ( ANHRT) ; 4 males, 372m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mbeli camp, 02°14'23.8''N, 16°23'52.1''E, 14–20.ii.2023, MV, actinic & LepiLED light traps, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 341m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Bomassa camp, 02°12'36.9''N 16°11'30.2''E, 20–21.ii.2023, actinic light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1 female, 352m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mombongo camp, 02°10'30.7''N 16°8'37.7''E, 02–07.ii.2023, MV light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 2 males, 5 females, 365m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63''N 16°16'25.82''E, 07–14.ii.2023, MV, actinic & LepiLED light traps, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV7178 (female) ( ANHRT) ; DRC: 1 male, Sankuru [Prov.]: Katako-Kombe, 3.i.1952, Dr. Fontaine [leg.], gen. prep. No.: AV7015 ( RMCA) ; 1 male, 36 km SSE Kisangani, village Yoko , 413m, 00°14'N 25°17'E, 12–15.ii.2008, Gurkovich & Zolotuhin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2020-021 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, 17 km N Kisangani, Masako Field Station , 00°36'N 25°15'E, 388m, 2–8.ii.2008, Gurkovich & Zolotuhin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2020-031 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 5 males, 3 females, Salonga National Park , 02°45'22.79''S 20°18'55.56''E, Ekongo Camp, December 2016, V.D. Kravchenko & G.C. Müler ( GMFB) ; 7 males, 2 females, the same data as previous but January 2017 ( GMF-B) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.5–10.0 mm in males and 9.5–11.0 mm in females. Siccia nzame is externally very similar to S. kota , S. akanthodis and S. bicultula , and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsule of S. nzame is similar to the aforementioned species but distinguished by the two short but thick medial-ventral processes of the ventral lobe of the costa whereas the processes are markedly longer in the similar species. Additionally, in the new species, the ventral lobe of the cucullus is basally broader than in S. kota and S. akanthodis , and the distal lobe of the cucullus is longer than in S. akanthodis and S. bicultula . The phallus of S. nzame is markedly shorter and narrower than in the similar species (in proportion to the tegumen-vinculum complex). The vesica of the new species is shorter than in the similar congeners and has a shorter subbasal dorsal diverticulum. The female genitalia of S. nzame can be distinguished from other members of the species-group by the large triangular ventral sclerotised lobes of the ostium bursae, the narrower posterior plate of the ductus bursae, the anterior section of the ductus bursae lacking the spinulose scobination medially, and the considerably shorter and narrower corpus bursae with a shorter signum. Additionally, the lateral subostial lobes of the new species are more elongate than in the similar congeners, and the appendix bursae is proximally narrower.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from three sampled specimens is in the range of 0.00–0.77%. The genetically next-closest species is S. akanthodis differing by 6.14–6.84%.

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

Etymology. In the mythologies of the Fang people of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Cameroon, Nzame is the supreme creator god. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 137–148. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 137 and 140 in GMF-B; 138, 139, 141–144, and 146–148 in ANHRT; 145 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 373–376. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 373 in MfN; 374 and 375 in ANHRT; 376 in MWM/ZSM.

Figures 492–495. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 492 and 493 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 494 and 495 in ANHRT.