Turdinirmus australissimus Gustafsson & Bush, 2017

Bush, Sarah E., 2017, Morphological revision of the hyperdiverse Brueelia - complex (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) with new taxa, checklists and generic key, Zootaxa 4313 (1), pp. 1-443 : 123-125

Turdinirmus australissimus Gustafsson & Bush , new species

( Figs 189–195 )

Brueelia daumae ( Clay, 1936) ; Green & Munday 1971: 8 (partim).

Type host. Zoothera lunulata lunulata (Latham, 1802) — olive-tailed thrush. Type locality. Pass River, King island, Tasmania, Australia.

Diagnosis. Turdinirmus australissimus n. sp. is similar to other Turdinirmus species from Zoothera spp., particularly Tu. daumae , with which it shares the broad head carinae and large head nodi. However, in Tu. daumae the marginal carina is narrowly and obliquely interrupted lateral to the dsms, whereas in Tu. australissimus ( Fig. 191 ) the dorsal preantennal suture does not reach either dsms or the lateral margin of the head. The dorsal anterior plate of Tu. daumae is shorter and more oval than in Tu. australissimus , and the frons of Tu. daumae is more gently rounded, and not flattened as in Tu. australissimus ( Fig. 191 ). Vulval chaetotaxy is overlapping between the two species, but Tu. daumae generally have 7–9 marginal setae on each side (5–7 in Tu. australissimus , Fig. 195 ). The male genitalia of Tu. daumae are similar to those of Tu. australissimus ( Fig. 192 ), with the proximal mesosome being more or less flat in both species, but the mesosome is even shorter in Tu. daumae , with posterior margin being more or less parallel to anterior margin, and not strongly convergent as in Tu. australissimus ( Fig. 193 ). The lateral corners of the lobes are even more acutely angular in Tu. daumae than in Tu. australissimus , and the papillate submedian section is more extensive, and reaches more than half of the width of the lobe (not less than a third as in Tu. australissimus ). Parameres distorted in all specimens examined of Tu. daumae , but appear to be similar to those of Tu. australissimus ( Fig. 194 ).

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 191 . Dorsal preantennal suture does not reach dsms. All head carinae and nodi very broad. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 189–190 .

Male. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 189 . Basal apodeme somewhat constricted at mid-length ( Fig. 192 ). Proximal mesosome concave to flat; whole mesosome very short. Gonopore ( Fig. 193 ) as a wide, angular thickening that converge medianly; open distally and proximally. Mesosomal lobes much wider than long, angular, with thickened margins and papillate section submedianly; 2 pmes near distal end of each lobe, at least 1 typically submarginal. Parameral heads ( Fig. 194 ) bluntly bifid. Parameral blades small; pst1–2 as in genus description. Measurements ex Zoothera lunulata lunulata (n = 2): TL = 1.89; HL = 0.48–0.50; HW = 0.52–0.54; PRW = 0.32; PTW = 0.43–0.45; AW = 0.57.

Female. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 190 . Subgenital plate roundedly triangular, with narrow median section approaching vulval margin ( Fig. 195 ). Vulval margin gently rounded, median section concave ( Fig. 195 ); 5–7 short, slender vms on each side, and 7–11 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 3–5 long, slender vos on each side; distal seta median to vss. Measurements ex Zoothera lunulata lunulata (n = 4): TL = 1.96–2.21; HL = 0.49– 0.55; HW = 0.53–0.61; PRW = 0.31–0.35; PTW = 0.44–0.48; AW = 0.61–0.68.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from Latin “ australis ” for “South”, with the superlative ending “- issimus ”, and refers to the southern type locality of the species, the most southern of all species in the Brueelia - complex to date (with the exception of species introduced by human agency), and one of very few known from Australia.

Type material. Ex Zoothera lunulata lunulata : Holotype ♂, Pass River, King Island, Tasmania, Australia, 21 Feb. 1968, R.H. Green, Brit. Mus. 1975-81 ( NHML) . Paratypes: 1♂, 3♀, same data as holotype ( NHML) ; 2♂, 3♀, Flinders Island , Tasmania, Australia, 21 Mar. 1966, R.H. Green, Brit. Mus. 1968-752 ( NHML) .

Figures

FIGURES 189 – 190. Turdinirmus australissimus n. sp. ex Zoothera lunulata lunulata: 189, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 190, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 191 – 195. Turdinirmus australissimus n. sp. ex Zoothera lunulata lunulata: 191, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 192, male genitalia, dorsal view. 193, male mesosome, ventral view. 194, male paramere, dorsal view. 195 female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.