Siccia Walker, 1854

Volynkin, Anton V., Saldaitis, Aidas & Müller, Günter C., 2025, Eight new species of the genus Siccia Walker from mainland Africa (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5659 (2), pp. 191-209 : 192-193

Genus Siccia Walker, 1854

Siccia Walker 1854 , List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, 2: 539

(TS: Siccia caffra Walker, 1854 , by subsequent designation by Kirby (1892)).

= Aemene Walker, 1854 , List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 2: 541 (TS: Aemene taprobanis Walker, 1854 , by monotypy).

= Melania Wallengren, 1863 , Wiener entomologische Monatschrift, 7 (5): 145 (TS: Lithosia nigropunctata Wallengren, 1860 (a junior subjective synonym of S. caffra ), by subsequent designation by Hampson (1900)), a junior homonym of Melania Lamarck (Mollusca).

= Panassa Walker, 1865 , List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 32: 607 (TS: Panassa cingalesa Walker, 1865 (a junior synonym of A. taprobanis ), by monotypy).

= Autoceras C. & R. Felder, in Felder, C., Felder, R. & Rogenhofer, 1874 , Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Behilfen des Commodore B. von Wüllerstorf-Urbair. Zoologischer Theil, 2 (2): pl. 106, fig. 24 (TS: Autoceras grammophora C. & R. Felder, 1874 (a junior synonym of A. taprobanis ), by monotypy).

= Parasiccia Hampson, 1900 , Catalogue of Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum, 2: 407 (TS: Aemene maculifascia Moore, 1878 , by original designation).

= Hyposiccia Hampson, 1900 , Catalogue of Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum, 2: 406 (TS: Aemene amnaea Swinhoe, 1894 , by original designation).

Diagnosis. Species of the genus are small moths, most of which have pale off-white, greyish or brownish forewing ground colour (rarely, it is ochreous, yellow, orange or blackish-brown), and a pattern consisting of black or brown spots and diffuse transverse lines. The male genital capsule of the genus is distinguished from the similar Afrotropical Palaeosiccia Hampson, 1900 (illustrated by Volynkin 2023) by the slenderer uncus (it is strongly medially swollen in Palaeosiccia ), the long, thick and distally rugose scaphium, which is more or less equal in length to the uncus (it is thin, short and terminates with a setose plate in Palaeosiccia ), and the membranous anellus, which is sclerotised in Palaeosiccia . The phallus of Siccia is evenly sclerotised whereas it is dorsally membranous in Palaeosiccia . The vesica of Siccia is membranous and bears diverticula, cornuti or areas of scobination or granulation whereas the vesica of Palaeosiccia has no diverticula or armature but bears broad areas of sclerotisation. The female genitalia of the genus are diverse in configuration, but all species have a corpus bursae bearing broad areas of spinulose scobination, sclerotised plates, elongate signa or clusters of robust spines whereas that of Palaeosiccia is membranous and with only a small elliptical or circular signum.

Morphological characteristics of adults. Male antenna ciliate, serrate or bipectinate, female antenna ciliate. Body and forewing ground colour from off-white or pale brown to orange or blackish-brown, in many species suffused with grey or blackish scales. Forewing pattern black or blackish-brown, consisting of spots and diffuse transverse lines, the latter usually interrupted into spots. In certain species forewing pattern reduced to a few or even one spot (usually discal one). Hindwing from off-white without pattern to blackish-brown, in most species extensively suffused with grey or brown. Discal spot of hindwing and interrupted terminal line present in certain species but diffuse. Female abdomen with corethrogyne. Male genitalia. Uncus almost straight or slightly Sshaped, elongate and slender, more or less cylindrical, somewhat dilated medially or proximally and with tiny claw-shaped tip. Scaphium as long as uncus or somewhat shorter, thin but heavily sclerotised and distally rugose, in many species with a distal pocket. Arms of tegumen weakly sclerotised, posteriorly dilated and fused. Peniculus present bearing cluster of setae in certain groups. Vinculum shorter than tegumen and with short U-shaped or rectangular saccus. Valvae diverse in shape, from elongate and narrow to strongly proximally dilated, in certain groups asymmetrical. Proximal section of costa occupying only outer wall and supporting dorsal margin of valva. Distal section of costa extended into inner wall and dilated, forming heavily sclerotised tip of valva (referred to as the ‘cucullus’ in the present paper) bearing one or several processes of various shapes. Editum dorsally fused with proximal section of costa, forming ventral sclerotised lobe of various shapes and sizes, smooth or bearing processes or setae, and situated proximally or medially. Sacculus narrow, smooth in most species but sometimes bearing setae or processes on its dorsal surface; in certain species-groups sacculi proximally connected by commissure. Distal saccular process present in certain groups and diverse in its shape and size. Valvula vestigial or present in certain groups, sometimes fused with ventral margin of cucullus. Phallus cylindrical, in certain groups distally dilated and/or with carina bearing thorns or clusters of denticles. Vesica membranous with diverticula of various shapes and sizes and, in certain groups, bearing cornuti of various shapes and/or fields of graniculi or spinules. Elasma present in all species, long, slender and well-sclerotised. Female genitalia. Papilla analis weakly sclerotised and setose, rectangular or trapezoidal. Ovipositor short. Apophyses elongate and thin. Ostium bursae relatively broad in proportion to ovipositor width. Postvaginal area with lateral subostial sclerotised lobes of various shapes bearing part of scales of corethrogyne. Postvaginal and antevaginal plates present in certain groups. Ductus bursae varies in length and sclerotisation, in certain groups membranous or forming antrum, or vestigial. Corpus bursae sack-like or pyriform, bearing sclerotised plates, signa of various shapes and sizes, and, in many groups, densely covered with minute spinules. Appendix bursae situated postero-laterally, laterally or anterio-laterally, in most species more or less conical but in certain groups tubular and helicoid, or vestigial.

Distribution. Species of the genus are distributed from the Afrotropics through the Arabian Peninsula to the Oriental and eastern Palaearctic realms, reaching New Guinea in the east.