Lunaceps proximus ( Blagoveshtchensky, 1948 )

Gustafsson, Daniel R. & Olsson, Urban, 2012, 3377, Zootaxa 3377, pp. 1-85 : 62-64

Lunaceps proximus ( Blagoveshtchensky, 1948)

( Fig. 25a – d; Table 1)

Degeeriella proxima Blagoveshtchensky, 1948: 279

Lunaceps proximus (Blagoveshtchensky) ; Hopkins and Clay, 1952: 202

Lunaceps proximus (Blagoveshtchensky) ; Timmermann, 1954a: 635

Lunaceps numenii proximus (Blagoveshtchensky) ; Price et al., 2003: 196

Type host: Numenius tenuirostris Vieillot, 1817

Diagnosis: Head elongated ( Fig. 25a). Marginal carina weakly coloured anterior to the dorsal preantennal suture, except a small marking associated with the ventral anterior plate and a pair of dark carina “islands” between the AS 1 and AS 2. Dorsal preantennal suture interrupted medially, and bulges to envelop the apertures of the ADS. Ventral anterior plate with parallel lateral sides in anterior half, but tapering quickly posteriorly. Lateral nodi pronounced, but often very slender. Dark preantennal band narrow. AVS2 and AVS3 aligned, but markedly posterior to ADS. OS and MTS1 long, but not approaching MTS3.

Pterothorax with flat or sometimes slightly rounded posterior margin.

Abdominal tergite II narrow. Abdomen broad and suboval ( Fig. 25b). Paratergal plates broad and squareshaped. Antero-lateral end of tergite III pointed and without sublateral indentation. In segments IV–V, sublateral indentation is present, but very narrow and can be hard to see. Antero-lateral end of tergites grow progressively blunter more anteriorly. Median dorsal setae very long, similar to intermediate setae. Female lateral setae on segment III long and slender, not thorn-like. Setae on male segment X/XI very long.

Female genital lobes with 10–11 posterior marginal setae, which are thick at base but tapers, 6 thorn-like submarginal setae, and 5–6 median marginal setae ( Fig. 25c). Parameres uniquely shaped, with two abrupt bends, and a distal elongation, making the tips parallel or subparallel ( Fig. 25d). Small ventral aperture in distal fourth. Mesomere reminiscent of a short-necked violin, extended distally. Lower endomere semicircular and connected to apodemal bridge by narrow triangle.

Discussion: Males are clearly separated from all males of all other Lunaceps species by the shape of the parameres and mesomere. Females similar to L. numenii and L. hopkinsi , but the shape of the ventral anterior plate is more rectangular. The extremely high number of posterior marginal setae is also distinctive within the genus.

The only known host, the Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris , is now very rare ( IUCN, 2011a). No nests of this bird has been found since 1924 ( Ushakov, 1925), and it was believed to be extinct when it disappeared from wintering grounds in Morocco. However, occasional sightings are still made both on potential breeding grounds ( Bojko and Nowak, 1996) and on migration stop-over points (e.g., Nankinov, 1991), suggesting that the valiant efforts to find their elusive breeding grounds ( Danilenko et al., 1996; Boere and Yurlov, 1998) may be looking in the wrong places. Whether or not Lunaceps proximus and other lice endemic to this host survive is at present an open question.

Etymology: From proxim = the nearest. It is unclear what this refers to.

Material examined:

Ex Numenius tenuirostris

♂ 3, Italy, January 1918, Meinertzhagen Collection (4424) ( NHML) . ♀ 3, ♂ 2, Russia, Meinertzhagen Collection (11017) ( NMHL) . ♀ 1, [Collection data not given in slide], 3058b ( MFN) .