Amicta mauretanica Rothschild, 1913

Arnscheid, Wilfried R., Rajaei, Hossein & Sobczyk, Thomas, 2021, A taxonomic review of the genus Amicta Heylaerts, 1881 in North Africa, Near and Middle East (Lepidoptera, Psychidae, Oiketicinae, Acanthopsychini), Zootaxa 5071 (3), pp. 349-368 : 361-362

Amicta mauretanica Rothschild, 1913

Figs 11 , 25

Amicta murina mauretanica Rothschild, 1913: 133 . Type loc.: Algeria, Bou Saada. Holotype in NHM (examined by photo).

Material examined: 1 ♂ SE Algeria, Illizi env. Queed Iimhirou , 600 m, 08.xii.2003 ( GP 4121 Arnscheid) (MWM). 1 ♂, 5 larval cases, Marokko, Guelmin es Semara, Tata, 29°45’N, 7°58’W, leg. Bläsius, 1 ♂ Marokko, Anti-Atlas, Izmir, 700 m, M10.2016, e.l. 08.xi.2011, 5 larval cases, Marokko, Tinerbir, 10.vi.1996, leg. E. Bettag, 3 larval cases, Marokko, Tasla AA, b. Agadir, 1000 m, iii.2012, leg. R. Bläsius (CTS).

Diagnosis. Male wingspan 22–24 mm (26 mm), forewing length 11 mm (12.5 mm), width 5 mm (5.7 mm), FI 2.2. Forewings stretched, slender, costal margin slightly straight, apex roundish, termen oblique. All wings yellowish mouse-grey, fine thinly scaled with hair-like scales, partly bifurcate (class 1 after Sauter & Hättenschwiler 1999), more densely along the costal margin. Fringes darker grey, glossy, with 4–6 dentations. Thorax and abdomen densely covered with light brownish grey hair. EI 0.95 ( Morocco species; one eye destroyed in the Algerian species, EI appr. 1.0). Antennae length 6 mm (5.5 mm), 40–42 segments without pedicellus and scapus. Pecten short, 0.3 (1.15) mm. Female: unknown.

Male genitalia. Elongate in general appearance, tegumen distinctly indented distally, slightly folded laterally and distally, covered with short hair. Valvae long, extending far beyond the distal end of tegumen, roundish apically and covered with short setae. Clasper of sacculus elongate, slender, narrower distally and covered with short spines apically. Anellus short, pointed. Vinculum broad, nearly rectangular. Saccus long, stretched and distinctly pointed. Phallus of genitalia length or longer, slightly bent, with distinct roundish enlargement caudally, vesica with short cornuti.

Distribution. Authentic material are exclusively available to us from Algeria and Morocco. It is also mentioned in literature from Morocco ( Daniel & Witt, 1975) and Libya ( Turati & Krüger, 1936).

Discussion. Markable are the different wingspan between the examined specimens. This is a noticeable phenomen also in Oiketicoides species from the mentioned areas and probably a result of food scarcity in their mostly dry habitats.

Figures

FIGURES 2–18. Wing patterns. 2–3: Amicta murina (2: add country, add locality; 3: Holotype, Egypt (MfN)); 4: A. bouhedmaensis (Holotype Tunisia, Degache, (MWM); 5–7: A. maliarda (5: Algerie, südl. Biskra (MWM) (prep. 2294/2020, Rajaei); 6: Tunesien, Kasserine, Ri Chambi NP, (CTS) (prep. 123-2021 Sobczyk).; 7: Libya, Sinauen, (MWM) (prep. 2292/2020, Rajaei) 8–9: A. lutensis sp. nov. (8: Holotype Iran, Lut desert, 20 km N Bam, Shahrokh-Abad, N29°17’22.2” E59°05’27.8” (SMNS); 9: Paratype, same data as holotype; 10: A. chambiana sp. nov. (Holotype Tunisia, ca. 10 km W Kasserine, near Chambi NP); 11: A. mauretanica (Holotype, Algeria, Bou Saada (NHM); 12: A. arabica (Oman, N of Sur, near Fins, coast line, 15.xi.2017, N 22°53.630’, E 059°13.371); 13: A. quadrangularis (Turkmenistan, Krasnowodsk, Transcaspia, Krasnowodsk mys Sarta (MWM) (prep. 4126Arnscheid); 14–15: A. nigrescens (14: Syntype [labeled as Origin by Staudinger], Caucasus, Ordubat; 15: Afghanistan, Kabul (MWM); 16: A. sericata (Iran, Ghatrouyeh, Neyriz, 1580 m, Fars Provinz, 54°42’E, 29°08’N); 17-A: A. davarica (Holotype Iran, Hormozgan prov., Beshagerd Mts. Davari vil., 26°27’ N 57°38’E, 06.-11.04.2000); 17-B: A. acutella (Krüger, 1939: pl. 14). a, upperside; b, underside. Scale-bar 1 cm.