Myrsidea mariquensis Halajian and Sychra

Halajian, Ali, Sychra, Oldrich, Luus-Powell, Wilmien & Engelbrecht, Derek, 2012, Chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 3442, pp. 58-68 : 64-65

Myrsidea mariquensis Halajian and Sychra sp. nov.

( Figs. 9–11 , 17–18 )

Type host: Bradornis mariquensis Smith—Mariqua Flycatcher

Female (n = 2). As in Figs. 9 and 17 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites strongly developed ( Fig. 10 ). Length of DHS 10, 0.050–0.065; DHS 11, 0.085–0.100; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.59–0.65. Gula with 4–5 setae on each side. Metasternal plate with 6 setae, metanotum not enlarged, with 6 marginal setae. Femur III with 22–25 setae in ventral setal brush.

Abdomen with unenlarged tergites with almost straight posterior margin, only tergites II–III with very slight medioposterior convexity ( Fig. 9 ). Tergal setae, with median gap in each row: I, 5–6; II, 8; III, 10–12; IV, 10–13; V, 9; VI, 8–9; VII, 8–9; VIII, 4–6. Postspiracular setae extremely long (0.38–0.43) on II, IV, VII and VIII; long (0.27– 0.30) on I and VI and short (0.16–0.23) on III and V. Sternal setae: II, 4–5 in each aster, 13–15 marginal between asters, 8–12 anterior; III, 20–22; IV, 45–48; V, 43; VI, 31; VII, 9; VIII–IX, 7–10 marginal and 10 anterior; sternites III–VII without medioanterior setae. Anal fringe of 37–38 dorsal and 35–36 ventral setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.45– 0.46; POW, 0.35; HL, 0.31–0.34; PW, 0.28; MW, 0.42–0.45; AW, 0.62; LSVII, 0.18; ANW, 0.19–0.20; TL, 1.55. Male (n = 1). As in Fig. 11 and 18 . Length of DHS 10, 0.055; DHS 11, 0.080; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.69. Gula with 5– 6 setae on each side. Metasternal plate with 6 setae. Metanotum with 6 marginal setae. Femur III with 21–23 setae in ventral setal brush.

Tergal setae: I, 6; II, 8; III, 12; IV, 12; V, 13; VI, 10; VII, 9; VIII, 8. Postspiracular setae as for female. Sternal setae: II, 3–4 in each aster, 10 marginal between asters, 6 anterior ( Fig. 11 ); III, 17; IV, 25; V, 29; VI, 21; VII, 13; VIII, 10; sternites III–VII without medioanterior setae. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 12 . Dimensions: TW, 0.44; POW, 0.33; HL, 0.31; PW, 0.26; MW, 0.37; AW, 0.51; LSVII, 0.14; GW, 0.11; GL, 0.46; GSL, 0.055; PAL, 0.06; TL, 1.32.

Type material. Holotype female (A. Halajian SA17) ex Bradornis mariquensis (Muscicapidae) , South Africa: Polokwane Game Reserve, Polokwane, Limpopo Province (23°58'S, 29°28'E; 1312 m.a.s.l.), 10–11 February 2012, Halajian leg. Paratypes: 1 female and 1 male with the same data as holotype (A. Halajian SA18). Deposited in BMNH.

Remarks. Until now, there were only two species of Myrsidea described on flycatchers ( Muscicapidae ):— M. subdissimilis Uchida, 1926 from Cyanoptila cyanomelana (Temminck, 1829) in Japan ( Uchida 1926) and M. proterva Złotorzycka, 1964 from Muscicapa striata (Pallas, 1764) in Poland ( Złotorzycka 1964). Myrsidea mariquensis sp. nov. is well separated from both aforementioned species by a smaller number of tergal setae in the female, especially on tergite I (5–6 vs. more than 10) and tergites II–IV (each not more than 13 vs. each at least with 14). While the male of M. proterva is unknown, the male of M. mariquensis differs from that of M. subdissimilis by larger dimensions, especially TW (0.44 vs. 0.40–0.41).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the specific name of the type host, a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 12. Myrsidea mariquensis sp. nov. 9. Female dorso-ventral pterothorax and abdomen. 10. Hypopharyngeal sclerite. 11. Male dorso-ventral pterothorax and abdomen. 12. Male genital sac sclerite. Scales 0.50 mm (Figs. 9, 11), 0.05 mm (Figs. 10, 12).

FIGURES 13 – 18. Myrsidea aynazae. 13. Holotype female. 14. Paratype male. Myrsidea eslamii. 15. Holotype female. 16. Paratype male. Myrsidea mariquensis. 17. Holotype female. 18. Paratype male.