Myrsidea mayermae Price, Johnson

Price, Roger D., Johnson, Kevin P. & Dalgleish, Robert C., 2008, Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from antshrikes and antbirds (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae), Zootaxa 1819, pp. 55-62 : 60

Myrsidea mayermae Price, Johnson , and Dalgleish, new species

Type host. Pithys albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766) , the White-faced Antbird.

Female (6). Metanotum with 6, less often 7, marginal setae; metasternal plate with 5–7 setae. Tergal setae: I, 8–12; II, 14–16; III, 14–19; IV–VI, 14–17; VII, 10–14; VIII, 8, less often 7. Sternal setae: II, 12–15 marginal between asters, 7–9 anterior; III, 22–26; IV, 30–35; V, 34–43; VI, 33–37; VII, 24–27; VIII–IX, 21– 24. Anus with 31–37 setae in each fringe. Dimensions: TW, 0.44–0.46; HL and PW, 0.30–0.32; MW, 0.41– 0.45; AWIV, 0.57–0.63; ANW, 0.23–0.25; TL, 1.47–1.51.

Male (8). Metanotum with 6 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 4–6 setae. Tergal setae: I, 8–9; II, 12– 15; III, 13–16; IV, 12–15; V–VI, 11–14; VII, 8–11; VIII, 8. Sternal setae: II, 10–13 marginal between asters, 7–9 anterior; III, 14–18; IV, 17–26; V, 23–27; VI, 20–27; VII, 13–16; VIII, 4–6. Dimensions: TW, 0.40–0.43; HL, 0.28–0.31; PW, 0.27–0.29; MW, 0.35–0.37; AWIV, 0.45–0.48; GL, 0.41–0.46; TL, 1.22–1.32.

Type material. Holotype male ( USNM), ex P. albifrons , VENEZUELA: Edo. Bolivar, 60 km E Sta. Elena, Jan. 1987, R.C. Dalgleish. Paratypes: ( USNM) 4 females, 5 males, same data as holotype; ( INHS) 2 females, 2 males, same data as holotype.

Remarks. Both M. milleri and M. mayermae share similar small dimensions, thereby differing from M. mcleannani . Features for recognizing M. mayermae include female with a shorter total length, male with fewer tergal setae on IV–VII and fewer sternal setae on IV–VIII, and both sexes with fewer marginal setae between the asters on sternite II.

Etymology. This species is named for Peggy Guitton-Mayerma, University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, in recognition of her assistance in collecting the lice used in this study.