Lunaceps kukri, Gustafsson & Olsson, 2012

Gustafsson, Daniel R. & Olsson, Urban, 2012, 3377, Zootaxa 3377, pp. 1-85 : 38-40

Lunaceps kukri sp. nov.

( Fig. 15a–d; Table 1)

Nirmus numenii Denny, 1842: 53 (partim)

Degeeriella sp. Peters, 1936: 15 (uncertain)

Lunaceps numenii (Denny) ; Timmermann, 1954a: 631 (partim)

Lunaceps numenii numenii (Denny) ; Emerson, 1972: 94 (partim)

Lunaceps numenii numenii (Denny) ; Butler and Pfaffenberger, 1981: 537 (partim)

Lunaceps numenii numenii (Denny) ; Price et al., 2003: 196 (partim)

Type host: Numenius americanus americanus Bechstein, 1812

Other host: Numenius americanus parvus Bishop, 1910

Diagnosis: Head quite elongated, but ovoid ( Fig. 15a). Hyaline margin broad. Marginal carina present anterior to the dorsal preantennal suture only as a small hint between the AS 1 and AS 2. Dorsal preantennal suture interrupted medially. Ventral anterior plate long and broad, with a rounded posterior margin. Central thickening of this plate (remnant of marginal carina) small and shallowly U-shaped in females, more V-shaped in males. Prominent dark band transversing preantennal area, and interrupted medially. AVS2 and AVS3 aligned, but both posterior to ADS. MTS and MTS3 slender and long.

Pterothorax with rounded posterior margin.

Paratergal plates very broad with blunt anterior ends ( Fig. 15b), apart from segments III–IV where the anteriorlateral ends are sometimes narrow. In segments III–IV, the sublateral indentation is also very narrow, and can be hard to see in some individuals. Tergites of segments V–VI have blunt anterior-lateral ends, and narrow sublateral indentations. No tergal heads. Long lateral setae of segment III in both sexes.

Female genital lobes with 8–10 posterior marginal setae, 5–7 sub-marginal setae, and 7–8 median marginal setae ( Fig. 15c). Median marginal setae quite long. Parameres bulges distally, and become wider before turning inwards ( Fig. 15d). Ventral aperture on distal third. Dorsal side of mesomere roughly triangular, and extended distally. Lateral sides with bulge in distal half, and one minute lateral setae at about a third from distal end, visible only in everted genitalia. Dorsal fingers very broad with divergent tips, extending anteriorly to the ventral blades, and median groove deep and pointed. Lower endomere semi-circular, with posterior margin flat dorsally and concave ventrally. Apodemal bridge connected to lower endomere by diffuse triangle.

Discussion: Very similar to L. numenii , but differs in the male genitalia, which is more similar to that of L. lissmanni or L. rileyi , with abruptly turning parameres and bulging lateral sides of the mesomere. However, L. kukri lacks the second, more distal, parameral bend of L. lissmanni and L. rileyi , and the existing bend is not as pronounced. Males can be separated from L. proximus by the lack of parallel extension of the parameres.

Females identical to L. numenii , but on average have more posterior marginal setae, and the paratergal plates are broader in L. kukri . The long lateral setae of female abdominal segment III can be found also in L. proximus which has more posterior marginal and sub-marginal setae.

Apart from size ( Table 1), no differences have been found between material collected between the two host subspecies.

Etymology: Refers to the shape of the parameres, which are reminiscent of the traditional Ghurkha knife, the kukri .