Siccia mayombe, Volynkin, 2023

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 : 96

Siccia mayombe sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:319118E6-FDE3-4DCA-9CC0-75962C8245C4

( Figs 266 , 450 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 266 , 450 ): male, “ Congo Dem. Rep. / Bas-Congo 250 m | Luki-Mayombe N.R. | 5°27'S 13°5'E | 29.XI.2008 | leg. J. & W. De Prins ” / “De Prins Coll. | BMNH (E) | 2014-125” / QRcode label with unique number “NHMUK010605613” / “Slide | NHMUK010315236” ( NHMUK).

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 5.0 mm in the male holotype. Siccia mayombe is most externally reminiscent of S. morettoi and S. brevicornuta due to the lack of the proximal cellular spot on the forewing but distinguished by the somewhat smaller size, the narrower forewing with a smoother tornus, the pale brown forewing ground colour (it is pale ochreous-grey in the aforementioned species), and the darker, pale greyish-brown hindwing ground colour. The male genital capsule of the new species differs from the other three species in the group with known male genitalia in the relatively short and almost straight cuculli. The detailed comparison with the similar S. comma is provided below in the diagnosis of the latter species. Compared to S. semliki and S. chimanimani , the phallus of S. mayombe is broader. The vesica of the new species is broader than in S. semliki and S. chimanimani , and bears a markedly shorter cornutus situated in the distal diverticulum (it is situated laterally at the base of the distal diverticulum in the aforementioned congeners). Additionally, compared to S. semliki and S. chimanimani , the vesica of S. mayombe has a shorter distal diverticulum, a broader medial diverticulum, and a broader subbasal diverticulum with longer lobes.

The female is unknown.

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

Distribution. The new species is known only from its type locality in western Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the DRC portion of Mayombe Forest , where the new species is known. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 263–280. Siccia spp. (263–278) and Palaeosiccia punctata (279, 280), adults. Depositories of the specimens: 263, 264, 267, 269, 273–275, 277, and 280 in ANHRT; 265, 266, 268, 272, and 279 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 270 and 276 in MfN; 271 in NHRS (©NHRS, photo by T. Malm); 278 in AKW.

Figures 450–453. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 450 and 452 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 451 and 453 in ANHRT.