Siccia triellipsis Bayarsaikhan & Bae, 2024

Bayarsaikhan, Ulziijargal, Kwon, Hyung Wook & Bae, Yang-Seop, 2024, A new species of Siccia (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) from Vietnam, Zootaxa 5415 (3), pp. 486-492 : 489-491

Siccia triellipsis Bayarsaikhan & Bae , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 , 3 , 4 )

Type materials. Holotype: ♂, Vietnam, Prov. Hanoi (Hatay), N.P. Bavi (end of road at 1100m), (N21˚03′39.8″, E105˚21′47.1″) 19.VII–5.VIII.2010 (YS Bae & XV Le), adult and gen. slide no. INU˗10308 V . Paratypes (3 ♂, 2 ♀) Vietnam: 3 ♂, 2 ♀, Prov. Hanoi (Hatay), N.P. Bavi (end of road at 1100m), (N21˚03′39.8″, E105˚21′47.1″) 19.VII– 5.VIII.2010 (YS Bae & XV Le), adult and gen. slide no. INU˗10306 V female, INU˗10307 V male, INU˗10430 V male, INU˗10433 V male, INU˗12878 V female .

Diagnosis. The wing pattern of the new species closely resembles that of many others in the genus Siccia , with pale grayish ground color of forewing with transverse lines and distinct antemedial and disco-cellular spots. However, Siccia triellipsis sp. nov. differs from its congeners due to its unique male genital structure. It features a stout valva with a large apical process covered with small spines in upper angle, and a large, elongate cucullus with several spines in the upper and lower angles, covered with long setae; the juxta exhibits a pair of stout spine-shaped processes. In the female genitalia, the ovoid, membranous corpus bursae has a bundle of diverse sizes of spines in the medial area.

The new species is similar to Sicciaemorpha ivyalba van Eecke, 1920 (Volynkin & Černý 2021: figs 1, 2, 15, 22), but can be distinguished from the latter by the ciliate antennae in males, and absence of spots on the thorax in both sexes. In the male genitalia, valva without distal lobe, and aedeagus stout and vesica with a long, slender, band shaped cornutus and a band of large spines. In the female genitalia, the ovoid, membranous corpus bursae with a bundle of diverse sizes of spines in the medial area.

In S. ivyalba van Eecke , males with bipectinate antennae, and thorax with dark spots in both sexes. In the male genitalia, valva with rounded membranous distal lobe, and aedeagus thin and vesica bearing dense cluster of small spinules. In the female genitalia, the ovoid, membranous corpus bursae without signum.

Description Adult ( Figs. 2a, 2b ). Length of the forewing 7 mm in males (n=3), 7.5˗ 8 mm in females (n=2). Head sordid white. Patagium, tegula and thorax sordid white, with pale brown sprinkles. Forewing ground color sordid white-yellowish, with indistinct antemedial, medial, postmedial, and subterminal lines consisting pale brown sprinkles, and distinct costal marginal patches of subbasal, basal, antemedial, medial, postmedial and subterminal dark brown; dark subbasal patch almost half size of the rounded dark antemedial and disco-cellular patches, all of three patches disctinct; terminal series of dark brown patches started from subapical of wing. Hindwing without markings, and basal area paler than distal area; cilia pale brown. Abdomen sordid white-yellowish, with pale yellowish anal tuft in male. Male genitalia ( Figs. 3a, b ). Weakly tapering uncus with a small apical spine and heavily covered with setae. Tegumen weakly sclerotized, arch-shaped. Valvae symmetric, stout; a large, irregular apical process weakly sclerotized, covered with small spines apically; weakly sclerotized cucullus almost same length with apical process of valva, with several diverse sized spines in broadly waved margin. Juxta with two strongly sclerotized, stout spine-shaped processes, weakly covered with small apical spines. Saccus “U”˗shaped. Aedeagus stout, and vesica with a long, slender, band shaped cornutus and a band of large spines. Female genitalia ( Fig. 4 ). Papillae anales weakly covered with setae. Elongate antevaginal lamella strongly wrinkled and sclerotized. Apophysis posterioris slender and longer than apophysis anterioris. Ductus bursae broad, waved, membranous, with short spines partly. Corpus bursae ovoid, membranous, with a bundle of diverse sized spines in medial area of bursae.

Distribution. Vietnam: Hanoi Province ( Hatay).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin “tri,” meaning “three,” and “ellipsis” referring to a set of dots indicating an ellipsis. This nomenclature highlights the distinct subbasal, antemedial and disco-cellular spots on the forewing.

Remarks. Members of the genus Halone have dark brown or pale brown markings or a large ochreous patch in forewing, which is common in many Oriental Halone species. In the male genitalia, aedeagus is slender and strongly curved in numerous Oriental species, as documented by Bucsek (2012, 2014). However, the new species characterized by the forewing with three distinct spots, which is common in many Oriental Siccia / Aemene species, and in the male genitalia, aedeagus is stout and straight. This distinction led us to identify it within the genus Siccia .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Adults of Siccia triellipsis sp. nov. from Vietnam (Hanoi Prov.). 2a. Male, holotype (INU˗10308V). 2b. male, paratype (INU˗10307V). 2c. female, paratype (INU˗10306V).

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia of Siccia triellipsis sp. nov. from Vietnam (Hanoi Prov.). 3a. Male, holotype (INU˗10308V). 3b. male, paratype (INU˗10307V).

FIGURE 4. Female genitalia of Siccia triellipsis sp. nov. from Vietnam (Hanoi Prov.). 4a. Genitalia, paratype (INU˗10306V). 4b. Small spines of ductus bursae. 4c. Signum of corpus bursae.