Myrsidea zhangae Lei, Chu, Dik, Zou, Wang & Gustafsson, 2020

Lei, Lujia, Chu, Xingzhi, Dik, Bilal, Zou, Fasheng, Wang, Haitao & Gustafsson, Daniel R., 2020, Four new species of Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae) from Chinese babblers (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae, Paradoxornithidae, Timaliidae), Zootaxa 4878 (1), pp. 103-128 : 109-115

Myrsidea zhangae Lei, Chu, Dik, Zou, Wang & Gustafsson , new species

( Figs 5 , 9 , 12–14 )

Myrsidea sp. 7; Chu et al. 2019: 338.

Type host: Ianthocincla berthemyi (Oustalet, 1876) – rusty laughingthrush ( Leiothrichidae ). Given as “ Garrulax caerulatus ” in Chu et al. (2019: 338) , see below.

Type locality: Badagongshan , Sangzhi County, Hunan Province, China .

Diagnosis. Myrsidea zhangae is identified as M. monilegeri in the key of Tandan (1972). Females of M. monilegeri are unknown, but males of these two species can be separated by the following characters: femoral brush with 26–29 setae in M. monilegeri , but with 18–22 setae in M. zhangae ; tergum I with 7 setae in M. monilegeri , but with 3–4 setae in M. zhangae (one specimen of M. zhangae has 9 setae on tergum I); tergum III with 13 setae in M. monilegeri , but with 6–9 setae in M. zhangae ; anterior pleural setae present on segments III–VI in M. monilegeri , but only rarely present, and then only on one side, on segments III and V–VI in M. zhangae ; sternum II with 27 anterior setae and 20 marginal setae in M. monilegeri , but with 6–11 anterior setae and 10–14 marginal setae in M. zhangae ; genital sclerite with median section longer than lateral sections and lateral sections slender distally in M. monilegeri , but genital sclerite with median section shorter than lateral sections, and lateral sections conspicuously widened distally in M. zhangae .

Tandan (1972) described two females from Garrulax monileger schauenseei that could not be placed unambiguously in M. monilegeri , and he considered that future collections may resolve this issue. Assuming that Tandan’s females are conspecific with M. monilegeri , the female M. zhangae can be separated M. monilegeri by the following characters: femoral brush with 27–33 setae in specimens from G. m. schauenseei, but with 23–25 setae in M. zhangae ; tergum I with 11 setae in specimens from G. m. schauenseei, but with 4 setae in M. zhangae ; each aster of sternum II with 5 setae in material from G. m. schauenseei, but with 4 setae in M. zhangae ; sternum II with 2–4 anterior setae and 15 marginal setae in material from G. m. schauenseei, but without anterior setae and with 9–12 marginal setae in M. zhangae . However, much of sternum II is obscured by gut contents in all females examined, and the anterior setae of G. m. schauenseei are said to be medio-lateral, which may suggest that those of M. zhangae are located very medianly and thus overlooked.

Description. Female (n=5). Habitus as in Fig. 13 . Setal measurements: dhs10 = 0.057 –0.072; dhs11 = 0.102 – 0.117; ration dhs10/11 = 0.52–0.66; ls5 = 0.062 –0.073. Ventrolateral fringe with 9–12 setae. Gular plate with 3–4 setae on each side. Hypopharynx similar to Fig. 5 . First tibia with 2–3 outer lateral ventral and 2–5 dorsal setae. Metanotum with posterior margin straight and with 4–6 setae on posterior margin. Metasternal plate with 8–10 setae.

Femoral brush with 23–25 setae. Metanotum and abdomen as in Fig. 13 . Posterior margin of tergites straight. Setal rows continuous on terga I–III or with gaps on terga IV–VIII. Anterior tergal setae absent. Tergal setae: I, 4; II, 9–10; III, 12–16; IV, 12–14; V, 11–14; VI, 9–12; VII, 8–11; VIII, 4–6. Inner posterior setae present on tergite IX. Sternal setae: I, 0; II, each aster of 4 setae, posterior margin with 9–12 setae and anteriorly with 0–1 setae; III, 16–18 (3–7); IV, 21–23 (22–31); V, 21–23 (24–35); VI, 19–20 (27–29); VII, 9–12 (6–12); VIII–IX, 11–16; Vulval margin with 5–14 setae. Pleural setae: I, 7–9 (0); II, 8–11 (0–2); III, 8–10 (1–3); IV, 6–10 (1–2); V, 6–8 (1–3); VI, 6–7 (0–2); VII, 4–6 (0–2); VIII, 3–4 (0). Anus with 30–37 setae in ventral fringe and 30–33 setae in dorsal fringe. About every third central setae of dorsal fringe much shorter than others (about 1/2 length). Measurements as in Table 2 .

Male (n=9). Much as in female, habitus as in Fig. 12 , head shape as in Fig.14 . Setal measurements: dhs10 = 0.058 –0.096; dhs11 = 0.096 –0.114; ratio dhs10/11 = 0.55–0.93; ls5 = 0.053 –0.080. Gular plate with 3–4 setae on each side. Hypopharynx as in Fig. 5 . Metanotum with 2–6 setae on posterior margin. Femoral brush with 18–22 setae. Anterior setae absent on terga. Tergal setal rows with median gap in all segments. Tergal setae: I, 3–4 (one specimen with 9); II, 5–11; III, 6–9; IV, 8–11; V, 8–10; VI, 8–11; VII, 6–8; VIII, 4. Inner posterior setae present. Anterior setae present on sterna II–VII. Sternal setae: I, 0; II, each aster of 4–5 setae, with 10–14 marginal setae and 6–11 anterior setae; III, 16–18 (3–6); IV, 19–22 (19–26); V, 20–22 (25–26); VI, 17–22 (20–25); VII, 11–14 (7–12); VIII–IX, 14–25. Anus with 6–8 internal setae on ventral side and 3–5 on dorsal side. Pleural setae: I, 5–7 (0–2); II, 6–8 (0); III, 6–7 (0–2); IV, 6–7 (0–1); V, 5–7 (0–1); VI, 5–6 (0–1); VII, 4–5 (0); VIII, 3 (0). Genitalia and genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 9 . Measurements as in Table 2 .

Type material: Holotype ♂, Badagongshan , Sangzhi County, Hunan Province, China, 24 Jul. 2013, D. Su & J. Ma. Bird J1531, GD-PHTH-00020 ( GIABR) . Paratypes: 8♂, 5♀, same data as holotype, GD-PHTH-00020, 00022, 00027–31 ( GIABR) .

Non-types examined: 9 nymphs, same data as holotype, GD-PHTH-00021, 00023–26, 00029 ( GIABR).

Etymology. Myrsidea zhangae is named in honour of Dr Zhang Min (GIABR), good friend and colleague of the authors, who was instrumental in helping D.R.G. to settle in China.

Remarks. The host of this louse species cannot be confirmed with certainty. As reported by Chu et al. (2019: 338), the host given in the collection data associated with specimens of Myrsidea sp. 7 (now M. zhangae ) is Garrulax caerulatus (Hodgson, 1836) . However, this bird species is restricted to western Yunnan and north Myanmar ( Arlott 2017). It appears that the collectors of the lice misidentified the host bird, which was likely Ianthocincla berthemyi , a species that does occur in Hunan, and which is morphologically similar to Garrulax caerulatus . More collections of lice are needed from both bird species to establish the correct identity of the type host of M. zhangae .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Myrsidea zhangae n. sp., male habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURE 13. Myrsidea zhangae n. sp., female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURE 14. Myrsidea zhangae n. sp., male head, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 4–7. Hypopharyngeal sclerites. 4, Myrsidea attenuata n. sp. 5, Myrsidea zhangae n. sp. 6, Myrsidea liopari n. sp. 7, Myrsidea suthorae n. sp. All illustrations drawn from male specimens, and to same scale.

FIGURES 8–11. Male genitalia, dorsal and ventral views. 8, Myrsidea attenuata n. sp. 9, Myrsidea zhangae n. sp. 10, Myrsidea liopari n. sp. 11, Myrsidea suthorae n. sp.