Siccia cretata 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 : 56-57

Siccia cretata Hampson, 1914

( Figs 130–133 , 371, 372 , 492–494 )

Siccia cretata Hampson, 1914 , Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British museum (Supplement), 1: 705, pl. 37: fig. 11 (Type locality: [ Ghana, Bibiani] “Gold Coast, Bibianaha”).

Type material examined. Holotype (by monotypy) ( Figs 132 , 492 ): female, “ Gold Coast. | Bibianaha. | XI.1911. | H.G.F. Spurrell. 1912–85.” / “ Siccia | cretata | type ♀. Hmpsn.” / red ring “Type” label / “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 318” / QR-code label with unique number “NHMUK 010914277” ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. GUINEA: 1 male, 3 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. No.: AV6566 ( ANHRT) ; 3 males, Konakry [Conakry], Macenta Prefecture, Ziama Forest , 550m, Mt. Nimba , April 2017, G.C. Müller, V.D. Kravchenko & G. Petrányi leg. ( GMF-B) ; 1 male, 1 female, the same data as previous but May 2017 ( GMF-B) ; LIBERIA: 1 male, 530m, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area , 7˚56'36''N, 10˚16'36''W, 10–19.xi.2017, MV Light Trap (125w), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg., gen. prep. No.: AV4461 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1 female, 140m, Sinoe County, Krahn-Bassa Reserve, Juboe River , 7.5km SW Pellokon Town, 5˚39'4''N, 8˚39'4''W, 14–20.i.2018, Blended bulb 250w and MV Light Traps, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5688 (male), AV5655 (female) ( ANHRT) ; 2 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., AV5308, AV5309 ( ANHRT) ; IVORY COAST: 2 males, 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., gen. prep. Nos.: AV5040, AV5042 ( ANHRT) ; GHANA: 1 male, Ashanti, 35 km E of Kumasi, 3 km NE of Kubease , 6°42'N, 1°20'W, 09.iv. 2014, 240m, J. & W. De Prins leg. / De Prins Coll. BMNH (E) 2014-125, unique number: NHMUK010605656, gen. prep. No.: NHMUK010315271 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 female, the same data as previous but 04.iv.2014, unique number: NHMUK010605658, gen. prep. No.: NHMUK010315273 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; GABON: 1 male, 430m, Mikongo (Rougier) , Monts de Cristal ( Secondary Forest ), 0˚29'47''N, 11˚10'42''E, 28.vii.– 12.viii.2019, House light, Albert, J.-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6565 ( ANHRT) ; REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2 males, 2 females, Odzala Nat. Park , 400–500m, 0°23'N 14°50'E, 29.i.–3.iii.1997, Sinyaev & Murzin leg. ( GMF-B) ; 1 female, 349m, Likouala Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Makao forest ( Secondary forest ), 02°36'42.5''N 17°09'23.8''E, 24– 29.ix.2022, LepiLED L.T., Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg. DRC: [Haut-Uélé Prov., Isiro] Uele: Paulis , 6.xi.1959, Dr M. Fontaine [leg.], gen. prep. No.: AV7009 ( RMCA) ; 1 male, 17 km N Kisangani, Masako Field Station , 00°36'N 25°15'E, 388m, 2–8.ii.2008, Gurkovich & Zolotuhin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2020-032 (prepared by Volynkin) (MWM/ ZSM) ; 2 females, Salonga National Park , 02°45'22.79''S 20°18'55.56''E, Ekongo Camp, January 2017, V.D. Kravchenko & G.C. Müler ( GMF-B) ; CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 1 male, Oubangui-Chabi-Tchad, Bangui / Collon Le Mould, Naturaliste, Paris / Coll. J. / Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-1, unique number: NHMUK010292067, gen. prep. No.: NHMUK010317784 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) .

Note. Kühne (2007: fig. 70) erroneously illustrated the male genitalia of an unidentified species similar to S. chilambwe without locality data as S. cretata . The male genitalia of S. cretata are illustrated and diagnosed for the first time in the present paper.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.5–9.5 mm in males and 10.0–12.0 mm in females. The species is externally similar to S. rarita , S. megista , S. mbeli , S. nzame and S. kota , and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The male genital capsule of S. cretata is unmistakable and characterised by the short but broad cucullus bearing three thin and curved spur-like processes of different lengths, and the basally broad and distally elongate and tapered, upcurved and apically pointed ventral lobe of the costa bearing a few denticles on its ventral margin. The phallus of S. cretata displays no differences from S. meyi and S. rarita . The vesica configuration of the species is most similar to S. rarita but the medialdorsal diverticulum of S. cretata is markedly larger than in the aforementioned congener. The female genitalia of S. cretata are reminiscent of S. megista and the detailed comparison is provided above in the diagnosis of the latter species.

Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from 12 sampled specimens is in the range of 0.00–2.51%. As the molecular data for the morphologically most similar species, S. kibale and S. mbeli are currently unavailable, the COI-5P sequences of S. cretata were compared with S. rarita and S. megista , from which the current species diverges by 5.77–6.61% and 5.11–7.99%, respectively.

Distribution. The species is known from Ghana ( Hampson 1914), Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Central African Republic.

Figures

Figures 125–136. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 125–131, 133–135 in ANHRT; 132 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 136 in MfN.

Figures 369–372. Siccia spp., male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.

Figures 492–495. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 492 and 493 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 494 and 495 in ANHRT.