Siccasura kongo Volynkin & László, 2021

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M., 2021, Siccasura, a new genus for the Afrasura numida (Holland, 1893) species-group, with descriptions of six new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Ecologica Montenegrina 40, pp. 1-25 : 9

Siccasura kongo Volynkin & László , sp. nov.

( Figs 5, 6 , 38, 39 , 57 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 5 , 38 ): male, [ Democratic Republic of the Congo, North Kivu Province ] “Zaire, Irangi, Station Rech. Scient., Fluss Luoho, 800–1000m, 3.–6.iii.1984, leg. Burmeister, Fuchs, Kühbandner”, gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-187 (prepared by Volynkin) ( ZSM).

Paratypes (1 male and 1 female). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO : 1 female, with the same data as in the holotype, gen. slide No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-188 (prepared by Volynkin) ( ZSM) ; 1 male, [Tshopo Province] 35 km SSE Kisangani, village Yoko , 413m, 12–15.ii.2008, leg. Gurkovich & Zolotuhin, gen. slide No.: MWM 33867 (prepared by Volynkin) ( MWM / ZSM).

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.5–8 mm in males and 8.5 mm in the female. The male genital capsule of S. kongo is similar to that of S. numida but the cucullus is less dentate, the ventro-distal processes of the valvae are longer and thicker and the left sacculus bears a much smaller cluster of short spines. The basal plate of the vesica of S. kongo bears smaller denticles and the subbasal diverticulum of the vesica is markedly wider compared to those of S. numida . The female genitalia of S. kongo are very similar to those of S. numida but are distinguished by the anteriorly wider dorsal plate of the posterior section of the ductus bursae, the fully spinulose anterior section of the ductus bursae (it is covered in spinules only laterally in S. numida ) and the smaller signa bursae.

Distribution. The new species is currently known from two localities in North Kivu and Tshopo Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The record of ‘ Asura numida ’ from North Kivu by Kiriakoff (1963) probably refers to S. kongo .

Etymology. The species is named after the Kongo people, one of the major ethnic groups of the Congo Basin.

Figures

Figures 1–8. Siccasura spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 in CMNH; 2 in MWM/ZSM; 3, 4, 7 and 8 in ANHRT; 5 and 6 in ZSM.

Figures 36–39. Siccasura spp.: male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 36 in ANHRT; 37 and 39 in MWM/ZSM; 38 in ZSM.

Figures 55–60. Siccasura spp.: female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens: 55, 56, 58 and 59 in ANHRT; 57 in ZSM; 60 in MFN.