Myrsidea ceciliae Carriker

Price, Roger D., Hellenthal, Ronald A. & Weckstein, Jason D., 2004, The genus Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the toucans (Piciformes: Ramphastidae), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 613, pp. 1-18 : 5-6

Myrsidea ceciliae Carriker ( Figs. 5–6 )

Myrsidea victrix ceciliae Carriker [and Diaz­Ungria] 1961: 14. Type host: Ramphastos vitellinus vitellinus M. H. K. Lichtenstein.

Myrsidea victrix brevicarinatus Carriker [and Diaz­Ungria] 1961: 16. Type host: Ramphastos sulfuratus brevicarinatus Gould.

Female. Posterior pronotal margin with 6, rarely 7, setae, metanotal margin with 8–14. Tergal development much as in Fig. 5 . Tergal setae: I, 6–9; II, 10–17; III, 12–19; IV–V, 14–22; VI, 14–23; VII, 11–19; VIII, 8–10. Very long inner posterior setae on IX. Sternal setae: II, 20–30; III, 29–47; IV–VI, 39–70; VII, 19–36; subgenital plate, 27–36. Anus with 54–64 ventral fringe setae, 44–55 dorsal. Dimensions: TW, 0.63–0.68; HL, 0.40– 0.43; PW, 0.40–0.45; MW, 0.62–0.67; AWIV, 0.89–1.01; ANW, 0.42–0.45; TL, 2.19–2.46.

Male. Posterior pronotal margin with 6 setae, metanotal margin with 8–12. Tergal setae: I, 12–16; II, 14–17; III–IV, 14–22; V–VI, 15–24; VII, 15–20; VIII, 8–12. Very long inner posterior marginal setae on IX. Sternal setae: II, 20–29; III, 27–35; IV, 32–49; V–VI, 39–57; VII, 24–35; VIII, 9–14. Genitalia as for M. victrix , but sac sclerites as in Fig. 6 , with wider gap in each lateral portion. Dimensions: TW, 0.56–0.61; HL, 0.37–0.42; PW, 0.37–0.41; MW, 0.52–0.56; AWIV, 0.66–0.73; GL, 0.59–0.66; TL, 1.70–1.94.

Material. Ex R. v. vitellinus , female holotype, male allotype, 2 female paratypes of M. v. ceciliae , VENEZUELA: Rio Mocho, Rio Caura (MAC­5725; 1909); 1 female, TRIN­ IDAD: Sangre Grande (TC­11; 1961). Ex R. v. culminatus Gould , 3 females, 3 males, BRAZIL: Amazonas, S bank Rio Solimões, 13.5 km E São Paulo de Olivença (AA­713 and 714; 2000). Ex R. v. ariel > R. v. culminatus , 2 females, 2 males, BRAZIL: Pará, ca 139 km SSW Santarem, W of Rio Tapajós, Rio Maró, 02°44.41' S, 55°41.45' W (JDW­ 455; 2000); 3 females, 1 male, BRAZIL: Mato Grosso, W bank Rio Teles Pres, 33 km NE Alta Floresta, 09°39'36" S, 55°54'58" W (JDW­257; 1999). Ex R. v. ariel Vigors , 4 females, 2 males, BRAZIL: Pará, Fazenda Morelândia, ca 30 km NE Belém, 01°12'40" S, 48°14'42" W (AA­620; 2000); 1 male, BRAZIL: Belém (1968); 2 females, BRAZIL: São Paulo, ca 40 km SW Sete Barras, 24°14.28' S, 48°04.94' W (JDW­435; 2000). Ex R. s. brevicarinatus , female holotype, male allotype of M. v. brevicarinatus , PANAMA: Canal Zone, Barro Colo (JVT­104; 1926); 1 female paratype of M. v. brevicarinatus , same except (JVT­382; 1927); 1 female, same but not type material (JVT­358; 1927); 1 male, same but not type material (JVT­104; 1926); 1 female, PANAMA: Canal Zone, Rio Indio (1911); 4 females, COSTA RICA: Guacino (MAC; 1908); 1 female, 1 male, PANAMA: Colón Prov. (JDW­107; 1997); 1 female, PANAMA (1976). Ex R. s. sulfuratus Lesson, all in MEXICO: 1 female, Rio do las Playas, Chiapas (WRW; 1943); 1 female, Tres Zapotes (MAC­357; 1940); 1 female, 1 male, Catemaco, Veracruz (MCT­1329; 1959).

Remarks. Myrsidea v. ceciliae and M. v. brevicarinatus both were placed in synonymy with M. victrix by Price et al. (2003), but this study has shown that, while synonymous with each other, they are distinctly different from M. victrix . Both sexes of M. ceciliae have consistently fewer marginal metanotal and tergal I–III setae than M. victrix . Carriker [and Diaz­Ungria] (1961) recognized these differences, but felt they merited only subspecific status. Our study of type materials has suggested that these differences are of a magnitude deserving specific recognition. Other features given by Carriker as potential differences generally are a function of distortion in mounting or improper clearing of specimens. In none of Carriker's descriptions of toucan Myrsidea did he make special note of the conspicuous male genital sac sclerites. We agree with Carriker [and Diaz­Ungria] (1961) that M. v. brevicarinata is “most closely related to M. v. ceciliae .” He adds “At best, it is not an outstanding race, but seems worthy of recognition.” None of the features enumerated in his description enable separation.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. 1 – 4, Myrsidea victrix. 1, Dorsoventral male. 2, Male genitalia. 3, Female metanotum and dorsoventral abdomen. 4, Male genital sac sclerites, M. victrix and M. abbreviata. 5 – 6, M. ceciliae. 5, Female metanotal margin and dorsoventral abdomen. 6, Male genital sac sclerites. 7 – 8, M. witti. 7, Male genital sac sclerites. 8, Female dorsal thorax and dorsoventral abdomen.