Myrsidea wombeyi Johnson and Price, 2006

Johnson, Kevin P. & Price, Roger D., 2006, Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menopo- nidae) from bristlebills and greenbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) in Ghana, Zootaxa 1177, pp. 27-37 : 34

Myrsidea wombeyi Johnson and Price , new species ( Figs. 11–15 )

Type host. Bleda syndactylus (Swainson) , the Common Bristlebill.

Male. Head and thorax much as in Fig. 1 ; hypopharyngeal sclerites weakly developed ( Fig. 12 ); gula usually with 5 setae on each side ( Fig. 13 ), much less often 4; metasternal plate with 4 setae. Abdomen as in Fig. 14 . Tergal setae: I, 6, rarely 7; II, 9–13; III, 13–18; IV, 15–18; V, 15–21; VI, 17–20; VII, 16–18; VIII, 12–16. Postspiracular setae shorter on V than on IV and VI. Sternal setae: II, each aster with 6 setae, much less often 5, remain­ der with 29–36; III, 15–17; IV, 38–41; V, 42–50; VI, 40–47; VII, 31–41; VIII, 21–26. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 15 . Dimensions: TW, 0.44–0.46; HL and PW, 0.30–0.32; MW, 0.42–0.44; AWIV, 0.51–0.54; LSVII, 0.10–0.13; GL, 0.43–0.47; TL, 1.36–1.45.

Female. Head and thorax much as for male; each side of gula with 5 setae, less often 6. Abdomen as in Fig. 11 . Tergites I–III largest, II with only modest medioposterior convexity, III with pronounced convexity; following tergites IV–VI slightly reduced. Tergal setae: I, 6; II, 8–10; III–IV, 12–16; V, 13–17; VI, 15–18; VII, 16–20; VIII, 12–16. Postspiracular setae as for male. Sternal setae: II, each aster with 6 setae, much less often 5 or 7, remainder with 21–30; III, 16–19; IV, 38–46; V, 42–53; VI, 45–49; VII, 24–29; VIII–IX with 11–14 marginal, 13–17 anterior setae. Anus with 48–56 ventral fringe setae, 43–54 dorsal. Dimensions: TW, 0.49–0.53; HL, 0.32–0.34; PW, 0.33–0.34; MW, 0.50–0.53; AWIV, 0.68–0.73; LSVII, 0.12–0.16; ANW, 0.27–0.30; TL, 1.69–1.81.

Type material. Female holotype, ex B. syndactylus , GHANA: Goaso , 16 March 2003, B. Marks, BDM 769 . Paratypes: 1 female, 1 male, same data as holotype ; 1 female, 1 male, same except 17 March 2003, K. P. Johnson, BDM 780 ; 1 female, same except 18 March 2003, KPJ 122 ; 2 females, 1 male, same except BDM 786 ; 3 females, 2 males, same except JDW 557 ; 1 female, 1 male, same except 21 March 2003, BDM 807 ; 1 female, 1 male, same except MJM 0 53.

Remarks. This species differs from all other known pycnonotid Myrsidea , except for the following new species, in having the hypopharyngeal sclerites only weakly developed. This feature, along with the female tergal configuration, both sexes with the large number of setae on tergites VII–VIII and sternites V–VII, and the unique male genital sac sclerite, enables easy identification of this new species.

Etymology. This species is named for John Wombey (CSIRO, Australian National Wildlife Collection) in recognition of his assistance in collecting lice from a wide variety of birds.

Figures

FIGURES 11–16. 11–15, Myrsidea wombeyi. 11, Female metanotum and dorsoventral abdomen. 12, Male hypopharynx. 13, Male gula. 14, Male metanotum and dorsoventral abdomen. 15, Male genital sac sclerite. 16, M. marksi, female metanotum and dorsal abdomen.

FIGURES 1–6. Myrsidea masoni. 1, Dorsoventral male. 2, Male hypopharynx. 3, Male gula. 4, Male genital sac sclerite. 5, Male genitalia. 6, Female metanotum and dorsoventral abdomen.