Siccia brevicornuta, 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 : 93

Siccia brevicornuta sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E2FD3E89-7557-4F77-81C6-E1D62CA14179

( Figs 258 , 445 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 258 , 445 ): male, “ Republic of Congo 356m | Sangha Prov. , Nouabale-Ndoki | N.P., Ndoki formation camp | (Secondary forest) | 02°12'51.5''N, 16°23'40.1''E | 23.vi.2022 Actinic Light Trap | Dérozier, V. Leg. | ANHRT:2022.9” / “ANHRTUK | 00201163” / “Slide | AV6886 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2 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., gen. prep. Nos.: AV7041, AV7042 ( ANHRT) ; 2 males, 365m, Nouabale-Ndoki National Park , Mondika camp, 02°21'50.63''N 16°16'25.82''E, 07–14.ii.2023, actinic and LepiLED light traps, Bakala, N., M., Dérozier, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., László, G. leg., gen. prep. Nos.: AV7044, AV7046 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 5.5–6.5 mm in males. Siccia brevicornuta is externally reminiscent of S. morettoi and S. aristophanousi but differs in the somewhat more elongate forewing apex, the somewhat paler ground colour of both wings, and, compared to the sympatric S. morettoi , the discal spot of the forewing being positioned somewhat closer to the costa. The male genital capsule of the new species is distinguished from the aforementioned congeners by the considerably shorter ventral costal lobe. The phallus of S. brevicornuta is more upcurved than in S. morettoi and S. aristophanousi . The vesica configuration of the new species is similar to S. morettoi but differs in the shorter and proximally broader cornutus in the subbasal diverticulum (the feature distinguishing the species also from S. aristophanousi ), the proximally broader medial diverticulum having a distal protrusion, and the somewhat shorter distal diverticulum.

The female is unknown.

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

Distribution. The new species is currently known from the north-eastern part of the Republic of the Congo.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin ‘brevis’ meaning ‘short’ and refers to the short subbasal cornutus in the phallus vesica. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

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 442–445. Siccia spp., male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.