Siccia duodecimpunctata duodecimpunctata Kiriakoff, 1958

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 : 43-44

Siccia duodecimpunctata duodecimpunctata Kiriakoff, 1958

( Figs 89–91 , 343, 344 , 479 )

Siccia duodecimpunctata Kiriakoff, 1958 , British Museum (Natural History) Ruwenzori Expedition 1952, 1 (2): 2 (Type locality: [ Uganda] “ Ruwenzori : Bugoye, 4500 ft. ”).

Type material examined. Holotype ( Figs 89 , 343 ): male, “ Uganda: | Ruwenzori Range. | Bugoye. 4,500ft. | 5–10.ix.1952. | D.S. Fletcher. ” / “Ruwenzori Exped. | B.M. 1952-566.” / “ S.G. Kiriakoff det., 1955 | Siccia duodecim- | punctata sp. n. ” / red ring “Type” label / “Photographed. | B.M. Neg. | 16615” / “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 320” / QR-code label with a unique number “NHMUK010914280” ( NHMUK) . Paratype (“ Allotype ”) ( Figs 90 , 479 ): female, Uganda: Ruwenzori Range , Bundibugyo, 3400 ft., 22.viii.– 3.ix.1952, D.S. Fletcher / Ruwenzori Exped. B.M. 1952-566 / Arctiidae genitalia slide No. 321, unique number: NHMUK010914281 ( NHMUK) .

Additional material examined. KENYA: male, Western Province, Kakamega Forest, Rondo Retreat , 1600m, 0°13.607'S 34°53.120'E, 23–26.x.2019, A.J. Kingston, D.J.L. Agassiz, M. Ngugi leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6707 ( AKW) .

Note. Kühne (2007: fig. 72) illustrated the male genital capsule of the holotype of S. duodecimpunctata along with the phallus belonging to another specimen. The holotype phallus was pushed out of the genital preparation cover slip during mounting which caused the illusion that the phallus was lost. Subsequently, the holotype slide was re-mounted and the vesica was everted by the author of the present paper.

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 9.5–10 mm in males and 10.5 mm in the female. Siccia duodecimpunctata is externally very similar to S. faucaria and S. acornuta , and reliable identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. However, the nominate subspecies is distinguished by the relatively large size. The male genitalia of S. duodecimpunctata are characterised by the semielliptical and distally tapered valva with a cucullus bearing three processes: the smooth, apically pointed and downcurved dorsal one, the stick-shaped and densely setose medial one directed distally, and the short nodular ventral one bearing two or three ventrally directed robust spines of different sizes. The vesica of S. duodecimpunctata is semielliptical and bears a single flattened stick-shaped cornutus whereas the other species in the species-group, S. acornuta lacks it. In the female genitalia, the subostial area is weakly sclerotised and rugose, ductus bursae is short, and the corpus bursae is elliptical and with a spinulose posterior half. The comparison of the nominate subspecies with S. duodecimpunctata mikrotera is provided below in the diagnosis of the latter subspecies.

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for the nominate subspecies.

Distribution. The species is known from Uganda ( Kiriakoff 1958) and western Kenya ( Kühne

2008).

Figures

Figures 80–94. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 80, 81, 84–88, 92–94 in ANHRT; 82 in MWM/ZSM; 83, 89 and 90 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 91 in AKW.

Figures 341–344. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 341 in ANHRT; 342 in RMCA; 343 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 344 in AKW.

Figures 479–483. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 479 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 480 in GMF-B; 481–483 in ANHRT.