Siccia conicarina, 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 : 31

Siccia conicarina sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:80BA0CFF-B190-42B6-A424-B22666A339C4

( Figs 55, 56 , 315, 316)

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 55 , 315): male, “ Gabon 430m | Mikongo (Rougier) , Monts | de Cristal (Secondary forest) | 0°29'47''N, 11°10'42''E | 28.vii.–12.viii.2019 LepiLED | Light Trap. Albert, J-L., | Aristophanous, M., | Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., | Moretto, P. Leg. | ANHRT:2019.17” / “ANHRTUK | 00137813” (DNA barcode iD) / “Slide | AV6551 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratype. GABON: 1 male, the same data as holotype but collected at Actinic Light , gen. prep. No.: AV6550 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 6.5–7.0 mm in males. Siccia conicarina is externally reminiscent of S. carinata but distinguished by its somewhat larger size and markedly larger spots of the forewing pattern. In the male genital capsule, the new species differs from the aforementioned congener in the narrower valva with thicker processes of the cucullus, and the broader distal saccular process. The phallus of S. conicarina is somewhat shorter than in S. carinata , and bears an additional, ventral thorn-like carinal process. The dorsal carinal process of the new species is conical and dorsally directed whereas it is thorn-like and directed more distally in S. carinata . The vesica structures of the two species are similar but that of S. conicarina is somewhat narrower and has a broader ventral diverticulum than in the congener.

The female is unknown.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence between the two DNA barcoded specimens is 0.46%. Siccia conicarina diverges from S. carinata and S. synthetia by 8.32–9.71% and 8.47–9.17%, respectively.

Distribution. The new species is currently known only from its type locality in Gabon.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the conical dorsal carinal process characteristic of the species. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 45–62. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 45–52, 54–60 and 62 in ANHRT; 53 and 61 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).