Siccia alberti, 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 : 70

Siccia alberti sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7D27F5B5-22F2-4FC8-9820-5FC781ED5116

( Figs 181–183 , 403, 404 , 505 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 181 , 403 ): 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 | 00192724” / “Slide | AV7164 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. GABON: 1 male, 1 female, the same data as holotype, gen. prep. Nos.: AV7028 (male), AV7029 (female) ( ANHRT) ; REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 male, 365m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63''N 16°16'25.82''E, 07–14.ii.2023, LepiLED light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 352m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mombongo camp, 02°10'30.7''N 16°8'37.7''E, 02–07.ii.2023, actinic light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.0–9.0 mm in males and 10.0 mm in the female. Siccia alberti is externally reminiscent of large specimens of S. microsticta , S. durantei , and S. curvalva and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsule of the new species is most similar to S. imana , from which S. alberti is distinguished by the more elongate valva, the shorter and broader, hook-like curved cucullus (it is triangular in S. imana ), and the broader tip of the distal saccular process bearing considerably longer setae. The phallus of the new species is distally narrower than in the similar congener. Compared to S. imana , the vesica of S. alberti is narrower (in proportion to the phallus width), and bears thinner and more numerous cornuti. In the female genitalia, the new species is distinguished from S. imana by the longer ovipositor, the longer, narrower and loop-like curved proximal section of the lateral subostial lobe (it is trapezoidal in S. imana ), the shorter and broader ductus bursae, and the markedly broader corpus bursae covered with more robust spinules. The detailed comparison with another similar species, S. takanoi is provided below in the diagnosis of this species.

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

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

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Mr Jean-Louis Albert (Libreville, Gabon), passionate entomologist and one of the collectors of the holotype, for acknowledging his significant contribution to the knowledge of the insect fauna of Gabon.

Figures

Figures 179–189. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 179 and 185 in MWM/ZSM; 180 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 181–184, 186, 187 and 189 in ANHRT; 188 in GMF-B.

Figures 403–406. Siccia spp., male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.

Figures 505–508. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 505–507 in ANHRT; 508 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).