Siccia kirkspriggsi, 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 : 79

Siccia kirkspriggsi sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9B6C1425-C7C2-4EAA-B8CF-41B56899892E

( Figs 212, 213 , 418 , 515 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 212 , 418 ): male, “ Republic of Congo 365m | Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , | Mondika camp | 02°21'50.63''N, 16°16'25.82''E | 07–14.ii.2023, actinic light trap | Bakala N., Dérozier, V., | Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. | ANHRT:2023.33” / “ANHRTUK | 00311979” / “Slide | AV7031 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 male, 372m, Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mbeli camp ( Gilbertiodendron forest), 02°14'23.8''N 16°23'52.1''E, 1–10.x.2022, LepiLED Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6952 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1 female, the same locality as previous but 14–20.ii.2023, actinic light trap, Bakala, N., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV7030 (male), AV7032 (female) ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.5 mm in males and 7.0 mm in the female. Siccia kirkspriggsi is externally reminiscent of S. mumbuluma but distinguished by the smaller size, the less convex costal margin of the forewing, the somewhat darker, greyish forewing ground colour (it is off-white in the congener), the lack of the third, posterior antemedial spot on the forewing, and the remarkably more intense grey suffusion on the hindwing. In the male genital capsule, the new species is similar to S. mumbuluma but can be distinguished by the distally narrower valva, the shorter cucullus, and the markedly longer distal saccular process. The phallus of S. kirkspriggsi bears a broader and more heavily sclerotised serrulate carinal plate in comparison to S. mumbuluma . In the vesica structure, the new species is clearly distinguished from S. mumbuluma by the noticeably longer and broader dorsal diverticulum, the broader lateral cluster consisting of markedly longer and thicker spines, the lack of a ventral diverticulum with a cluster of spinules, and the longer but narrower distal diverticulum lacking cornuti whereas that of S. mumbuluma bears two robust cornuti directed dorsally and ventrally. As the females of S. mumbuluma and S. eberti are unknown, the female genitalia of S. kirkspriggsi were compared with S. smithi , from which the current new species is distinguished by the postvaginal area lacking the lateral subostial crests, the narrower ductus bursae, the gelatinous posterior section of the corpus bursae bearing clusters of considerably smaller spinules, and the markedly narrower, tubular and helicoid appendix which is sack-like in S. smithi . Additionally, the apophyses anteriores of S. kirkspriggsi are shorter than in S. smithi .

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

Distribution. The new species is known only from north-eastern Republic of the Congo.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs, Senior Curator of Diptera, ANHRT, and one of the collectors of the type series. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

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 415–418. Siccia spp., male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT (417: ex AKW).

Figures 513–516. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 513 in GMF-B; 514–516 in ANHRT.