Priceiella (Thescelovora) calcicola Gustafsson, Clayton & Bush, 2018

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Clayton, Dale H. & Bush, Sarah E., 2018, Twelve new species of Priceiella (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from Old World babblers, with keys to species of two subgenera and checklists of species for the genus, Zootaxa 4382 (3), pp. 401-449 : 403-406

Priceiella (Thescelovora) calcicola Gustafsson, Clayton & Bush , new species

Figs 1–7

Type host. Turdinus crispifrons crispifrons (Blyth, 1855) —limestone wren-babbler ( Pellorneidae ).

Type locality. Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.

Diagnosis. The male genitalia of Priceiella (Thescelovora) calcicola n. sp. ( Figs 4–6 ) have several morphological peculiarities that set them apart within the subgenus: there is a broad medially interrupted thickening distal to the gonopore that do not follow the distal margin of the mesosome ( Fig. 5 ); the distribution of ames and pmes ( Fig. 5 ), with only 1 ames anterior to gonopore on each side and 2 pmes postero-lateral to gonopore not located on lateral margins but on slightly raised lobes, is unique within the subgenus; the lateral thickening of the mesosomal lobes is not displaced medially at midlength ( Fig. 5 ). The distally and proximally open gonopore ( Fig. 5 ) of P. (T.) calcicola is similar to that of P. (T.) austini n. sp. ( Fig. 12 ), P. (T.) orichalca n. sp. ( Fig. 19 ) and P. (T.) chanthaburiana n. sp. ( Fig. 26 ), perhaps suggesting that they are related. However, unlike all three of these species P. (T.) calcicola lacks rugose nodi on the mesosome and the shape of the mesosome ( Fig. 5 ) is different from all other species in the genus.

Description. Both sexes. Head broadly dome shaped with a flat posterior margin ( Fig. 3 ). Frons deeply concave. Lateral margins of preantennal head convex. Dorsal preantennal sutures short, reaching dsms but not ads. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 3 . Coni not reaching distal margin of scape. Pteronotum with 5 mms on each side ( Figs 1–2 ). Pigmentation very weak, with most of body nearly translucent; marginal carina, head nodi, mandibular framework, gular plate, proepimera, metepisterna and pleural incrassations pale brown; sternal and subgenital plates and antero-lateral tergopleurites with weak brown shadowing.

Male. Abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 1 ; aps absent on tergopleurites VI–VII. Genitalia as in Figs 4–6 . Basal apodeme rectangular ( Fig. 4 ). Proximal mesosome short, rectangular. Mesosomal lobes broad with sinuous lateral margins. Lobes distally convergent to medial point. Gonopore open distally and proximally (Fig, 5). Rugose nodi absent; 1 ames sensillus on each side near proximal margin of lobes; 1 pmes sensillus on each side of gonopore; 2 pmes sensilla on each side near lateral margins of mesosome. Marginal thickening of mesosome not interrupted distally and not displaced medially at lateral margins. Broad, medially interrupted ridges distal to gonopore. Parameral heads large, irregular in shape, narrowing slightly medially and with rounded median margin ( Fig. 6 ). Parameral blades medially convergent, distally divergent, short; pst1–2 close together, both sensilla. Measurements ex Turdinus crispifrons crispifrons (n = 3): TL = 1.30–1.36; HL = 0.34–0.35; HW = 0.35–0.36; PRW = 0.22; PTW = 0.32–0.33; AW = 0.44–0.45.

Female. Abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 2 . Both available females with sternites and most sternal setae obscured by gut content are illustrated tentatively. Subgenital plate very pale and partially obscured by gut content, cross-piece not clearly visible; illustrated tentatively in Fig. 7 . Vulval margin gently rounded ( Fig. 7 ), with 3–4 slender vms and 5–7 short thorn-like vss on each side; 6 slender vos on each side, with most distal vos shorter than other vos. Measurements ex Turdinus crispifrons crispifrons (n = 2): TL = 1.55–1.61; HL = 0.36–0.37; HW = 0.38; PRW = 0.23; PTW = 0.34–0.35; AW = 0.48–0.52.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from Latin “ calx ” for limestone, referring to the habitat of the host, and “ -cola ” for “inhabitor”.

Type material. Ex Turdinus crispifrons crispifrons : Holotype Ƌ, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, 15 Jan. 1972, J.T. Marshall, 6920 (specimen closest to species name label) ( OSUS) . Paratypes: 2♂, 2♀, same data as holotype ( OSUS) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Priceiella (Thescelovora) calcicola n. sp. ex Turdinus crispifrons crispifrons (Blyth, 1855). 1, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views.2, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 3–7. Priceiella (Thescelovora) calcicola n. sp. ex Turdinus crispifrons crispifrons (Blyth, 1855). 3, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 4, male genitalia, dorsal view. 5, male mesosome, ventral view. 6, male paramere, dorsal view. 7, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.

FIGURES10–14. Priceiella(Thescelovora) austinin. sp. exPomatorhinus ruficollis intermedius Cheng,1963.10, male head, dorsal and ventral views.11, male genitalia, dorsal view.12, male mesosome, ventral view. 13, male paramere,dorsal view.14, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.

FIGURES 17–21. Priceiella (Thescelovora) orichalca n. sp. ex Turdinus brevicaudatus leucostictus (Sharpe, 1887). 17, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 18, male genitalia, dorsal view. 19, male mesosome, ventral view. 20, male paramere, dorsal view.21, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.

FIGURES24–28. Priceiella(Thescelovora) chanthaburiana n. sp.ex Pomatorhinus hypoleucos tickelliHume,1877.24, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 25, male genitalia, dorsal view. 26, male mesosome, ventral view. 27, male paramere, dorsal view.28, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.