Myrsidea zonotriciae Price and Dalgleish

Price, Roger D. & Dalgleish, Robert C., 2007, Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the Emberizidae (Passeriformes), with descriptions of 13 new species, Zootaxa 1467, pp. 1-18 : 4

Myrsidea zonotriciae Price and Dalgleish , new species

( Fig. 10)

Type host. Zonotricia capensis (Statius Müller) , Rufous-collared Sparrow.

Female (5). Gula with 4–5 setae on each side. Metanotum and dorsal abdomen as in Fig. 10. Metanotum not enlarged, with 8–10 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6–8 setae. Abdomen with tergites of similar size, tergites III–V with very slight medioposterior convexity. Tergal setae, with median gap in each row: I, 8– 12; II–III, 12–16; IV–VII, 14–19; VIII, 10–12. Postspiracular setae long on V–VI (0.16–0.17), extremely long on VII (> 0.36) and similar to those on VIII. Sternal setae: II, 3–4 in each aster, 13–15 marginal between asters, 8–11 anterior; III, 21–23; IV, 24–32; V, 30–35; VI, 26–30; VII, 13–17; VIII–IX, 16–22. Dimensions: TW, 0.42–0.43; HL, 0.31–0.32; PW, 0.28–0.30; MW, 0.41–0.43; AWIV, 0.53–0.55; ANW, 0.19–0.21; TL, 1.36– 1.45.

Male (3). Gula with 5 setae on each side. Metanotum with 10 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6 setae. Tergal setae, with median gap in each row: I, 10; II, 12–14; III–VI, 16–18; VII, 14–16; VIII, 11–12. Sternal setae: II, as for female; III, 20–21; IV–V, 26–31; VI, 20–26; VII, 11–14; VIII, 6–7. Genital sac sclerite much as in Fig. 11. Dimensions: TW, 0.41–0.44; HL, 0.30; PW, 0.25–0.29; MW, 0.37–0.39; AWIV, 0.42– 0.46; GL, 0.41–0.44; TL, 1.25–1.29.

Type material. Holotype female ( USNM), ex Z. capensis , VENEZUELA: Edo. Bolivar, 60 km E Sta. Elena, Jan 1987, R.C. Dalgleish. Paratypes ( USNM): 4 females, 3 males, same data as holotype.

Remarks. The females of this species and M. citrinae are the only two species of the group without any markedly modified abdominal tergites. However, M. zonotriciae is recognized by having at least eight marginal metanotal setae, five gular setae on one or both sides, and 10 or more setae on tergite VIII. The number of setae on abdominal segments VII–VIII will separate males of M. zonotriciae from others of the group.