Siccia malfakassa, 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 : 81-82

Siccia malfakassa sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7DD62471-58D6-4608-B718-956C47987C4D

( Figs 220 , 423 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 220 , 423 ): male, “ Togo 505m | Fazao-Malfakassa NP., | Mare aux crocodiles campsite | (Sudanian savannah-dry forest) | 8°44'58.8''N, 0°48'51.8''E | 26.viii.–7.ix.2018 MV Light Trap | Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., | Moretto, P., Sanbena, B. leg. | ANHRT:2018.31” / “ANHRTUK | 00102690” (DNA barcode iD) / “Slide | AV5653 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratype: TOGO: male, the same data as holotype, Actinic Light Trap, gen. prep. No.: AV5038 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.0 mm in males. Siccia malfakassa is externally reminiscent of S. lubumbashia and S. overlaeti but distinguished by the more rounded forewing apex and somewhat more diffuse forewing pattern. The male genitalia of the new species are similar to S. paraxena due to the short and proximally broad valvae basally connected by a thick commissure, the spinulose costa, and the broad and heavily sclerotised sacculus bearing two dorsal processes. However, the male genital capsule of S. malfakassa differs from S. paraxena in the narrower valvae having shorter, broader and more asymmetrical cuculli directed distally and lacking spinules whereas in S. paraxena , the cuculli are almost equal in length and upcurved, and the spinulose dorsal cluster of the costa stretches through the cucullus reaching its apex. Additionally, compared to S. paraxena , the uncus of S. malfakassa is shorter, the vinculum is markedly narrower, and the sacculus bears a longer and thinner distal dorsal process and more robust spinules basally. The phallus of S. malfakassa is somewhat shorter and narrower than in S. paraxena . The vesica of the new species is broader than in S. paraxena , has longer distal and dorsal diverticula, and bears larger graniculi medially.

The female is unknown.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence between the two DNA barcoded specimens is 0.00%. The nearest neighbour of S. malfakassa is S. paraxena at a pairwise distance of 3.32% while it diverges from S. changwena by 5.09%.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from its type locality in the central part of Togo.

Etymology. The specific epithet is homonymic of the type locality, Fazao Malfakassa National Park. 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 423–426. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 423 and 424 in ANHRT; 425 in MWM/ZSM; 426 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).