Siccia elgona Kühne, 2007

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 : 88-89

Siccia elgona Kühne, 2007

( Figs 241, 242 , 434, 435 , 522 )

Siccia elgona Kühne, 2007 , Esperiana Memoir , 3: 373, figs 81, 185 (Type locality: “ Kenya, Western Prov. , Mt. Elgon N. P., 200m ”).

Material examined. KENYA: 1 male, Kitale , 3.i.[19]49, A. Townsend / Corydon Museum B.M. 1963-322, unique number: NHMUK010292071, gen. prep. No.: NHMUK010317788 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 female, Western Province , Mount Elgon District, Mt. Elgon National Park, Kapkoro Cottages, 2216m, 01°02.348'S 34°47.040'E, 21–22.x.2019, A.J. Kingston, D.J.L. Agassiz, M. Ngugi leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6718 ( AKW) ; RWANDA: 2 males, Nyungwe NP, 1800m, 11 km N Uwinka , 2°25'S, 29°09'E, 03.viii.2008, J. & W. De Prins leg. / De Prins Coll. BMNH (E) 2014-125, unique numbers: NHMUK010605665, NHMUK010605666, gen. prep. Nos.: NHMUK010315280, NHMUK010315281 (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 male, Nyungwe , 2000m, K3, 29.xii.1976, B. Turlin leg., gen. prep. No.: ZSM Arct. 2019-173 (prepared by Volynkin) ( ZSM) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 8.0– 8.5 mm in males and 9.0 mm in the female. Siccia elgona is most externally similar to S. chogoriae but distinguished by the larger size, the more elongate forewing, and the more expressed forewing pattern. The male genital capsule of S. elgona differs from S. chogoriae in the shorter and distally thicker uncus, the shorter and broader valva with medially convex dorsal margin, the markedly shorter and thicker cucullus, the smaller distal membranous lobe of the valva, and the somewhat shorter, proximally narrower and slightly distally dilated and apically rounded distal saccular process. The phallus of S. elgona is longer and somewhat narrower than in S. chogoriae and bears a short club-shaped lateral carinal process. Compared to S. chogoriae , the vesica of S. elgona is proximally narrower, having a shorter and narrower subbasal diverticulum, a broader and shorter, semiglobular medial diverticulum (it is elongate and narrowly conical in the congener), and two utricular distal diverticula directed dorsally and ventrally whereas S. chogoriae has only one, longer and broader distal diverticulum directed distally. In the female genitalia, S. elgona is distinguished from S. chogoriae by the markedly narrower, trapezoidal antrum with a convex posterior margin whereas it is strongly dilated posteriorly in S. chogoriae . The ductus bursae of S. elgona is longer than in S. chogoriae and straight whereas it is laterally curved in the congener. Compared to S. chogoriae , the corpus bursae of S. elgona is shorter, sack-like (it is more or less elliptical in the congener) and bears finer spinulose scobination posteriorly. The appendix bursae of S. elgona is broader than in S. chogoriae and situated laterally whereas it is originating from the anterior end of the corpus bursae in S. chogoriae .

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

Distribution. The species is currently known from Kenya ( Kühne 2007) and Rwanda.

Figures

Figures 240–262. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 240 in NHRS (©NHRS, photo by T. Malm); 241 and 243 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 242 in AKW; 244–246 in MWM/ZSM; 247–262 in ANHRT.

Figures 434–437. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 434 and 436 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 435 and 437 in ZSM.

Figures 521–525. Siccia spp., female genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 521, 524 and 525 in ANHRT; 522 in AKW; 523 in MWM/ZSM.