Manucodicola asymmetricus, Mey, 2017

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Bush, Sarah E. & Palma, Ricardo L., 2019, The genera and species of the Brueelia - complex (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) described by Mey (2017), Zootaxa 4615 (2), pp. 252-284 : 265

Manucodiacus asymmetricus asymmetricus Mey, 2017

Manucodiacus asymmetricus asymmetricus Mey, 2017: 140 , pl. IX: figs 5–6.

Manucodicola asymmetrica asymmetrica ( Mey, 2017) . New combination, species subspecies inquirenda. Type host: Manucodia jobiensis Salvadori, 1876 —Jobi manucode.

Type locality: Haubtlager Malu , East Sepik, Papua New Guinea .

Remarks. As the shape of the tergopleurites is variable within this genus, it is not a reliable diagnostic character for separating species. Notably, both Manucodiacus asymmetricus asymmetricus and Manucodicola acantharx Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 have three sternal plates anterior to the subgenital plate in both sexes. Therefore, it is possible that M. a. asymmetricus is a junior synonym of Mn. acantharx . However, we have not examined the type material and therefore this putative synonymy cannot be confirmed and we must regard this taxon as a species subspecies inquirenda.