Siccia chimanimani, 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 : 97-98

Siccia chimanimani sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5D09E2E9-4267-4AAE-9C74-C72C13C83517

( Figs 269 , 453 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 269 , 453 ): male, “ Mozambique 630m | Manica Province, Chimanimani | National Reserve, Moribane Forest | Ndzou Camp ( Moist Forest ) | 19°44'01.4''S, 33°20'15.1''E | 3– 5.viii.2018 LepiLED Light Trap | Laszlo, G., Miles, W., Vetina, A. leg. | ANHRT:2018.30” / “ANHRTUK | 00050668” (DNA barcode iD) / “Slide | AV5049 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 5.5 mm in the male holotype. Siccia chimanimani is externally reminiscent of S. semliki but distinguished by the smaller size, the narrower forewing with a smoother tornus, the more ochreous-yellowish ground colour of both wings, and the more diffuse forewing markings with smaller brown spots on the costal margin. Additionally, the patagia of the new species is ochreous-brown, similar to the entire thorax whereas it is a contrasted deep brown in S. semliki . The male genitalia structure of S. chimanimani is similar to S. semliki and the detailed comparison is provided above in the diagnosis of the latter species.

The female is unknown.

Molecular data. As the species is known from its holotype only, the intraspecific genetic variability could not be calculated. As the molecular data are currently unavailable for other species in the group, the COI-5P sequence of S. chimanimani was compared with those of the similar S. exilisioides and the S. pallidata species-group s, from which the new species diverges by 8.45–9.88% and 9.82–11.25%, respectively.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from its type locality in western central Mozambique (Manica Province).

Etymology. The specific epithet is homonymic of the Chimanimani Mountains , where the new species was found. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 263–280. Siccia spp. (263–278) and Palaeosiccia punctata (279, 280), adults. Depositories of the specimens: 263, 264, 267, 269, 273–275, 277, and 280 in ANHRT; 265, 266, 268, 272, and 279 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 270 and 276 in MfN; 271 in NHRS (©NHRS, photo by T. Malm); 278 in AKW.

Figures 450–453. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 450 and 452 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 451 and 453 in ANHRT.