Siccia microsticta Hampson 1914
Creators: name: Volynkin, Anton V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Erebidae
Siccia
Siccia microsticta

description: Siccia microsticta Hampson, 1914   
(Figs 170–173, 394–396, 502)  
 Siccia microsticta Hampson, 1914, Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British museum (Supplement), 1: 704, fig. 227 (Type locality: [Ghana, Bibiani] “Gold Coast, Bibianaha ”).   
 Type material examined. Holotype (by monotypy) (Figs 170, 394): male, “ Gold Coast. | Bibianaha. | 24– 26.X.1911. | H.G.F. Spurrell. | 1911–413.” / “ Siccia | microsticta | type ♂. Hmpsn.” / red ring label “Type | H.T.” / “ Arctiidae | genitalia slide | No. 317” / QR-code label with unique number “NHMUK 010914273” (NHMUK).   
 Additional material examined. LIBERIA: 9 males, 3 females, 530m, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area, 7˚56'36''N, 10˚16'36''W, 10–19.xi.2017, MV (125w) and Cold Cathode Light Traps, Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L., leg., gen. prep. Nos.: LG 4844 (prepared by László), AV4539, AV4543, Av 4606, AV4607, AV6705 (males), AV4473, AV4600, AV4601 (ANHRT); 3 males, 611m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, base camp forest, 8˚07'17''N, 9˚57'42''W, 20.xi.–01.xii.2017, MV Light Trap (125w), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV6591 (ANHRT); 2 females, 585m, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Rosewood Camp, 8˚06'14.9''N, 9˚58'27.3''W, 18.xi.–1.xii.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8w), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5660 (ANHRT); 1 male, 494m, Nimba County, Nimba Mts., ENNR, Grassfield FDA Field Station, 7˚29'32.45''N, 34˚34'54.05''W, 22.xi.2018, Light Trap, Blended Bulb (250W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV5186 (ANHRT); 1 male, 140m, Sinoe County, Krahn-Bassa Reserve, Juboe River, 7.5km SW Pellokon Town, 5˚39'4''N, 8˚39'4''W, 14–20.i.2018, Light Trap (Blended bulb 250w), Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. (ANHRT); 1 male, 103m, Sinoe County, 6.5km NW of Jacksonville, Forest near Solve Problem Village, 5˚26'25''N, 9˚7'39.9''W, 23–27.i.2018, MV Light Trap, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. (ANHRT); 1 male, 15m, Grand Cape Mount County, Lake Piso area, 6˚39'19.19.''N, 11˚7'71.35''W, 2–9.i.2019, MV Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. (ANHRT); IVORY COAST: 8 males, 174m, Taï NP, Taï Research Station (SRET), 05˚50'00''N, 07˚20'32.0''W, 25.iii.–17.iv.2017, MV light, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3354, AV4495, AV4496 (ANHRT); 2 males, the same locality as previous but 5–10.vii.2015, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg. (ANHRT); 1 male, the same locality as previous but 14–23.xi.[20]15, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Moretto, P., Ruzzier, E. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV3316 (ANHRT).   
 Diagnosis. The forewing length is 7.5–9.0 mm in males and 8.5–9.0 mm in females. Siccia microsticta is externally indistinguishable from S. setis, S. spinulosia, S. durantei, S. curvalva, and S. stictica, and identification requires the examination of the genitalia structures. The detailed comparison of the male and the female genitalia of the species with the similar S. durantei is provided below in the diagnosis of this species.   
 Molecular data. The intraspecific divergence of COI-5P sequences calculated from seven sampled specimens is in the range of 0.00–1.72%. The nearest neighbour of the species is S. durantei at a pairwise distance of 2.52–3.49%.   
 Distribution. The species is known from Ghana (Hampson 1914), Ivory Coast and Liberia.
description: Published as part of 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), pp. 1-184 in Ecologica Montenegrina 64 on pages 67-68, DOI: 10.37828/em.2023.64.1, http://zenodo.org/record/13248512