Coronedax Ren, Tian, Grossi, Zou & Gustafsson, 2024

Ren, Mengjiao, Tian, Chunpo, Grossi, Alexandra A., Zou, Fasheng & Gustafsson, Daniel R., 2024, Cryptic genera, cryptic species: phylogeny of the genus Philopteroides Mey, 2004, sensu lato, with descriptions of two new genera and one new species, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 82, pp. 585-605 : 585-605

Coronedax Ren, Tian, Grossi, Zou & Gustafsson gen. n.

Philopteroides Mey, 2004: 173 in partim.

Type species.

Coronedax longiceps new species.

Diagnosis.

Species of Coronedax gen. n. are almost indistinguishable morphologically from species of Philopteroides , but can be separated by the following characters: 1) mesosome distinct, broad (rectangular or of more irregular shape) in Philopteroides (Figs 2–5 ), but reduced to thickening along distal margin of basal apodeme in Coronedax (Figs 11 , 12 ); 2) parameral seta 2 sensillous in Philopteroides (Figs 2–5 ), but as distinct seta that may be almost as long as the paramere in Coronedax (Figs 11 , 12 ); 3) sternal plates II – VI each with 1 thorn-like and one normal seta on each side in Coronedax (Figs 18 , 19 ), but with more setae (exact numbers variable among species) in Philopteroides ; 4) vulval margin without or with only few central short setae (vss?) and few long, lateral setae (vms?) in Coronedax (Fig. 23 ), but with numerous setae of both types in Philopteroides .

Description.

Small lice of the head louse ecomorph (sensu Johnson et al. 2012). Frons shallowly emarginate, with median margin secondarily sclerotized (Fig. 20 ). Dorsal preantennal suture completely surrounds dorsal anterior plate but does not reach lateral margin of head at site of as 1; plate broad with internal carinae and with posterior elongation thickened. Marginal carina uninterrupted laterally. Trabecula present. Antennae sexually monomorphic. Transverse carinae present. Temporal setae os, mts 1 and mts 3 meso- or macrosetae, mts 3 typically longer than the others. Dorsal head sensilla s 1 – 3 and pts present, pns absent, s 4 present or absent. Pro- and pterothorax not divided medianly (Figs 18 , 19 ); ppss on posterior margin of pronotum; mms as continuous row on posterior margin of pteronotum. Prosternum present; mesometasternum absent. Metepisterna not sclerotized laterally. Abdomen broad, tergopleurites II – VIII medianly divided, each with rows of macrosetae on posterior margin; anterior seta of tergopleurite II present. Sternal plates present on at least segments II – VI; accessory sternal plates present on segments III – VI in female, not present in male but lateral ends of central sternal plates may be modified. Each of sternal plates II – VI with one thorn-like and one normal seta on each side. Basal apodeme slender (Figs 21 , 22 ); mesosome reduced to thickening of distal margin of mesosome; 1–2 lpmes on each side of gonopore (Fig. 22 ), typically small and may be overlooked. Gonopore simple, small. Parameres less densely sclerotized, seemingly fused proximally to basal apodeme; pst 1 sensillum, pst 2 long seta which may be as long as paramere. Female subgenital plate not reaching vulval margin (Fig. 23 ); vulval margin with 0–2 rows of shorter vss (absent in type species) and longer vms. Subvulval plates present.

Host associations.

All known species from hosts in the Monarchidae .

Geographical range.

Known from China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Senegal.

Etymology.

The genus name is derived from “ corona ”, Latin for “ crown ”, and “ edax ”, Latin for “ devour ”. This is in reference to the name of the hosts, the Monarchidae , and the fact that these lice live on the hosts’ head, essentially eating their crowns. Gender: masculine.

Included species.

See Table 3 .

Remarks.

The male genitalia of Coronedax terpsiphoni (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 b) were illustrated in three different views in the original description (ibid., figs 10–12), of which only one ( Najer et al. 2012 b: fig. 12) is directly comparable to the specie described here. As mentioned by Najer et al. (2012 b), the distal male genitalia of this group are easily distorted, and we have here reproduced their fig. 10, to illustrate the variation possible within this genus, depending on preparation. We do not consider the genitalia illustrated by Najer et al. (2012 b) to be substantially different from those of Coronedax longiceps .

The female genitalia of C. terpsiphoni have a small number of short, central setae (here tentatively interpreted as vss), which are absent in C. longiceps . In an undescribed, but poorly preserved, species of Coronedax we have seen from Hypothymis azurea (Boddaert, 1783) there appears to be only one short vss on each side (visible only on one side). More species of Coronedax need to be examined before the variation in vulval chaetotaxy, and its taxonomic significance, can be explored in more detail.

Figures

Figures 2–17. Comparison of the male genitalia of some species of Philopteroides Mey, 2004, Coronedax gen. n., and Stasiasticopterus gen. n. All figures redrawn from their original descriptions (Tandan 1955; Mey 2004; Valim & Palma 2013), unless otherwise noted. Illustrations have been rescaled to be roughly the same size. Illustrations are in ventral view, unless otherwise noted. No illustrations of the genitalia have ever been published for Philopteroides lineatus (Giebel, 1874), Philopteroides mitsusui (Uchida, 1948), or Stasiasticopterus kayanobori (Uchida, 1948). 2 Philopteroides novaezelandiae Mey, 2004. 3 Philopteroides xenicus Mey, 2004. 4 Philopteroides fuliginosus Valim & Palma, 2013. 5 Philopteroides macrocephalus Valim & Palma, 2013. 6 Philopteroides gigas Najer et al., 2016. 7 Philopteroides sinancorellus Najer et al., 2016. 8 Philopteroides sclerotifrons (Tandan, 1955); no scale in original. 9 Philopteroides pilgrimi Valim & Palma, 2013. 10 Philopteroides beckeri (Mey, 2004) (redrawn from Valim & Palma 2013). 11 Coronedax terpsiphoni (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 a). 12 Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 13 Stasiasticopterus longiclypeatus (Gustafsson et al., 2022 b). 14 Stasiasticopterus holosternus (Gustafsson et al., 2022 b). 15 Stasiasticopterus haerixos (Gustafsson et al., 2022 b). 16 Stasiasticopterus flavala (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 a. 17 Stasiasticopterus cucphuongensis (Mey, 2004) (redrawn from Gustafsson et al. 2022 b). Bold grey lines signify the generic divisions used here; narrow grey lines signify groups that are morphologically different from the type species of the respective genera, but where there is insufficient data to propose addition (e. g., subgeneric) limits. The two species here considered incerta sedis are placed in separate groups, pending further investigations. — Abbreviations used: BA = basal apodeme; GP = gonopore; MS = mesosome; lpmes = lateral posterios mesosomal setae; PM = parameres; pst 1–2 = parameral setae 1–2 (2 distal to 1).

Figures 18, 19. Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 18 male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 19 female habitus, dorsal and ventral views. — Abbreviations used: mms = marginal mesometanotal setae; ppss = pronotal post-spiracular seta; ps = paratergal setae; psps = principal post-spiracular setae; ss = sutural setae; sts = sternal setae; tps = tergal posterior setae.

Figures 20–23. Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 20 male head, dorsal and ventral views. 21 male genitalia, dorsal view. 22 male genitalia, ventral view. 23 female subgenital plate, vulval margin, and post-vulval area, ventral view. Male genitalia are illustrated asymmetrically as in holotype specimen, to indicate the “ looseness ” of the parameres. — Abbreviations used: as 1 = anterior seta 1; lpmes = lateral posterior mesosomal seta; mts 1, 3 = marginal temporal setae 1, 3; os = ocular seta; pst 1–2 = parameral setae 1–2; pts = posttemporal seta; s 1–4 = sensilla 1–4 of dorsal postantennal head; vms = vulval marginal setae.