Siccia kibale, 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 : 57-58

Siccia kibale sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1ECBCE6D-F8F1-46FE-9BBD-1BD28CFE0A62

( Figs 136 , 137 , 373 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 136 , 373 ): male, “ Uganda, Kibale | National Park | Biol Field Station [0°33'44.6''N 30°21'24.7''E, 1510m] | 19.–24.XI.[X]2014, LF [light trap] | leg. W. Mey ” / “Slide | AV5330 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( MfN).

Paratype. REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 male, Odzala Nat. Park , 400–500m, 0°23'N 14°50'E, 29.i.– 3.iii.1997, Sinyaev & Murzin leg., gen. prep. No. AV 7152 ( GMF-B) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 12.0 mm in the male holotype. Siccia kibale is one of the largest Afrotropical species in the genus externally distinguished from the similar congeners such as S. megista by the creamy white forewing with smaller spots of the pattern, and the unicolorous pale creamy hindwing. The male genital capsule of the new species is similar to S. cretata but differs in the distally tapered valva (it has almost parallel margins in the congener) with a markedly narrower cucullus bearing shorter spike-like processes, and the trapezoidal ventral lobe of the costa bearing four robust denticles on its ventral margin and a number of sparse tiny denticles on its inner surface proximally. The phalli of the two species are alike. The vesica of S. kibale is distinguished from S. cretata by the broader dorsal chamber having markedly shorter and narrower subbasal and medio-lateral diverticula.

The female is unknown.

Molecular data. Currently unavailable for this species.

Distribution. The species is known from Uganda and Republic of Congo.

Etymology. The specific epithet is homonymic of Kibale National Park, where the holotype was collected. The name is a noun in the nominative singular in apposition.

Figures

Figures 125–136. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 125–131, 133–135 in ANHRT; 132 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 136 in MfN.

Figures 137–148. Siccia spp., adults. Depositories of the specimens: 137 and 140 in GMF-B; 138, 139, 141–144, and 146–148 in ANHRT; 145 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK).

Figures 373–376. Siccia spp., male genitalia. Depositories of the specimens dissected: 373 in MfN; 374 and 375 in ANHRT; 376 in MWM/ZSM.