Siccia gypsia Hampson, 1914

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 : 51-52

Siccia gypsia Hampson, 1914

( Figs 112–114 , 361, 362 , 488 )

Siccia gypsia Hampson, 1914 , Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British museum (Supplement), 1: 704, fig. 228 (Type locality: [ Ghana, Ashanti Region] “Kumasi”).

Type material examined. Lectotype (hereby designated) ( Figs 112 , 361 ): male, “Kumasi, | W. Africa. | J.D.G. Sanders. | 1912–481.” / “ Siccia | gypsia | type ♂. Hmpsn” / red ring label “Type | H.T.” / “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 316” / QR-code label with unique number “NHMUK 010914274” ( NHMUK) . Paralectotype: female, Kumasi, W. Africa., J.D.G. Sanders., 1912–481, unique number: NHMUK010914276, gen. prep. No.: NHMUK010314588 ( NHMUK) .

Additional material examined. GUINEA: 21 males, 4 females, 540–600m, 619km ESE of Conakry, Nzerekore Region, Prefecture Lola, Ziela env., x.2017, 7°42'N, 8°21'W, Local collectors leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV6567, AV6568 (males) ( ANHRT) ; 2 males, 700m, Nimba Mts, SMFG concession area (Société des Mines de Fer de Guineé), Cité 1, 7°42'2.83''N 8°23'58.60''W, 16–25.vii.2017, General coll. at Light, Sáfián, Sz. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 2 males, Conakry, Macenta Prefecture, Ziama Forest , 550m, Mt. Nimba , November 2016, G.C. Müller, V.D. Kravchenko & G. Petrányi leg. ( GMF-B) ; 1 male, the same data as previous, June 2017 ( GMF-B) ; 1 female, the same locality as previous, October 2017, G. Petrányi & G.C. Müller ( GMF-B) ; 1 female, the same locality as previous, 17.xi.– 1.12.2016, G. Petrányi, G.C. Müller, V.D. Kravchenko et al. ( GMF-B) ; LIBERIA: 4 males, 1 female, 611m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts , base camp forest, 8˚07'17''N, 9˚57'42''W, 20.xi.–01.xii.2017, MV Light Trap (125w), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV4463, AV4513, AV4626 (males) ( ANHRT) ; 3 males, 494m, Nimba County, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Grassfield FDA Field Station , 7˚29'32.45''N, 34˚34'54.05''W, 22.xi.2018, Light Trap, Blended Bulb (250W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5281, AV5282, AV5283 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 585m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Rosewood Camp , 8˚06'14.9''N, 9˚58'27.3''W, 18.xi.–1.xii.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8w), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5107 ( ANHRT) ; 3 males, 1 female, 883m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts., Ridge Camp 2, 8˚7'20.79''N, 9˚56'50.75''W, 22–31.xi.2018, Light Trap Blended Bulb (250W) and Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5102, AV5103 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 230m, Lofa County, Zuwulor Village School, 7˚54'52''N, 9˚31'08''W, 8.xi.2017, Light Trap (blended bulb 250W), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1250–1350m, ENNR, Nimba Mountains, Cellcom Road , little stream, 7˚31'28''N, 8˚30'39.9''W, 14–15.iii.2017, Light Trap (250w blended bulb) & cold cathode UV light bucket trap (8w), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, H. leg. ( ANHRT) ; SIERRA LEONE: 1 female, 385m, Kono Province, Gori Hills, near Bodu , 08.4767˚N, 10.7424˚W, 21–30.i.2020, Sinyaev, B. & Kalnoi, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 370m, Kono Province, Gori Hills, near Bongema , 08.4886˚N, 0.7738˚W, 16–28.xii.2019, Sinyaev, V. & Kalnoi, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 120m, Tiwai Island, Moa River , 07˚33'00''N, 11˚21'09''E, 17–22.vi.2016, Light Trap, Takano, Miles & Goff leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5036 ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, Goderich, Baoma , 8°25'41''N 13°15'47''W, R.W. Goff leg., gen. prep. No.; AV3179 ( ANHRT) ; IVORY COAST: 1 male, 174m, Taï NP, Taï Research Station ( SRET) , 05˚50'00''N, 07˚20'32.0''W, 25.iii.–17.iv.2017, MV light, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, the same locality as previous, 5–10.vii.2015, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1171m, Mt. Tonkoui Peak , 07˚27'15.2''N, 07˚38'12.5''W, 01–08.xi.2015, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3317 ( ANHRT) ; GHANA: 1 male, Ashanti Region, Kumasi, Kwadaso , 300m, iv.1970, D. Schröder leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-168 ( ZSM) ; NIGERIA: 1 male, 7210, At Light, Benin , 20.iv.[19]76, M.A. Cornes, unique number: NHMUK010889620, gen. prep. No.: NHMUK010315309 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; CAMEROON: 1 female, 1246m, Adamawa Region, Adamawa Plateau, 7.3km West of Bazanga, Chute De Tello , 07˚13'50.6''N, 13˚56'29.2''E, 24–30.ix.2018, MV Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, H. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 612m, Central Region, Nkoteng, on Sanaga River, Nkoteng Forest , 04˚33˚34.2''N, 11˚59'37.6''E, 24–28.x.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5211 ( ANHRT) ; GABON: 2 males, 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) ; REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 male, Odzala [-Kokoua] Nat. Park , 400–500m, 0°23'N 14°50'E, 29.i.–03.iii.1997, Sinyaev & Murzin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2020-023 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 1 male, 311m, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Mombongo baï ( Marshland ), 02°10'14.4''N 16°08'27.9''E, 28.vi.2022, Actinic Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Mékounou, P. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6877 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 352m, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki N.P., Ndoki formation camp ( Secondary forest ), 02°12'48.5''N 16°23'45.6''E, 23.vi.2022, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6876 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 358m, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Bomassa forest ( Secondary forest ), 02°11'58.1''N, 16°11'16.9''E, 17– 23.ix. 2022, LepiLED L.T., Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 365m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63''N 16°16'25.82''E, 07–14.ii.2023, MV light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 3 males, 372m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Mbeli camp, 02°14'23.8''N, 16°23'52.1''E, 14–20.ii.2023, actinic light trap, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg. ( ANHRT) ; DRC: 1 male, [Haut-Uélé Prov., Isiro] Uele: Paulis , 20.viii.1957, Dr M. Fontaine [leg.], gen. prep. No.: AV7017 ( RMCA) ; 1 male, the same data as previous but 25.viii.1957, gen. prep. No.: AV7020 ( RMCA) ; 1 male, the same data as previous but 26.viii.1957, gen. prep. No.: AV7022 ( RMCA) ; 1 male, [Kinshasa] Léopoldville , 27.iv.1949, Dr. Fontaine [leg.], gen. prep. No.: AV7021 ( RMCA) ; 1 female, Salonga National Park, 02°45'22.79''S 20°18'55.56''E, Ekongo Camp , December 2016, V.D. Kravchenko & G.C. Müler ( GMF-B) ; UGANDA: 1 male, 1 female, Western Region, Fort Portal, Lake Nkuruba , 0°31.100'N 30°18.146'E, 1–6.vii.2011, 1530m, H. Sulak leg. ( GMF-B) ; 1 male, Fort Portal , 26–28.xii.1991, Dr Politzar leg. ( GMF-B) .

Note. In the original description of the species, Hampson (1914) mentioned a male and two females from Kumasi as “Type”. In order to stabilise the nomenclature, the male syntype is hereby designated as the lectotype.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.0– 8.5 mm in males and 9.5–11.0 mm in females. Siccia gypsia is externally reminiscent of species of the S. setis and the S. microsticta species-groups but differs in the less elongate and more rounded forewing apex, the larger spots in the cell, and the weaker blackish suffusion on the forewing. The male genitalia of S. gypsia are distinguished from the other species in the genus by the medially constricted valva lacking processes and having a narrow and elliptical cucullus, and the juxta structure, which is unique in the genus. In S. gypsia , the juxta is broad, heavily sclerotised bearing two postero-lateral thorn-like processes and two strongly elongate band-shaped and weakly sclerotised parallel postero-medial processes fused with the anellus and supporting the phallus ventrally whereas in most other species in Siccia , the juxta is smaller, weakly sclerotised and lacking processes. In the female genitalia, the structure of the elongate and relatively narrow antrum is characteristic of the species: it has heavily sclerotised and swollen lateral margins medially and anteriorly separated from each other by the flexible, finely cellulate longitudinal medial area. The detailed comparison with the similar S. ankistro is provided below in the diagnosis of the latter species.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from 10 sampled specimens is in the range of 0.00–0.62%. The pairwise distance between S. gypsia and the similar S. ankistro is in the range of 3.65–3.98%.

Distribution. The species is known from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. The record from western Kenya ( Kühne 2008) requires clarification as the only specimen from this area available for examination in the present study belongs to S. ankistro , which is externally indistinguishable from S. gypsia .

Figures

Figures 112–124. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 112, 113 and 123 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 114–116, 121, 122 and 124 in ANHRT; 117 in AKW; 118 and 120 in MfN; 119 in GMF-B.

Figures 361–364. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 361 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 362 and 363 in ANHRT; 364 in AKW.

Figures 488–491. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 488, 489 and 491 in ANHRT; 490 in GMF-B.