Priceiella (Thescelovora) orichalca Gustafsson, Clayton

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 : 409-412

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

( Figs 15–21 )

Type host. Turdinus brevicaudatus leucostictus (Sharpe, 1887) —streaked wren-babbler ( Pellorneidae ).

Type locality. Terengganu, elev. 4200 ft., 102° 36’ E, 5° 25’ N, Malaysia.

Other hosts. Pellorneum tickelli tickelli Blyth, 1859 —buff-breasted babbler ( Pellorneidae ). Stachyris maculata pectoralis (Blyth, 1842) —chestnut-rumped babbler ( Timaliidae ). Stachyris nigriceps davisoni Sharpe, 1892 —gray-throated babbler ( Timaliidae ). Turdinus brevicaudatus stevensi (Kinnear, 1925) —streaked wrenbabbler ( Pellorneidae ). Turdinus macrodactylus macrodactylus (Strickland, 1844) —large wren-babbler ( Pellorneidae ).

Diagnosis. Priceiella (Thescelovora) orichalca n. sp. is most similar to P. (T.) austini n. sp., with which it shares the following characters: lateral margins of preantennal area more or less straight ( Figs 10 , 17 ); dorsal preantennal suture present ( Figs 10 , 17 ); antero-lateral portions of gonopore curled laterally to encircle pmes ( Figs 12 , 19 ); pmes on lateral margin of mesosome distal to rugose nodi clearly visible as microsetae ( Figs 12 , 19 ). These two species can be separated on the following characters: frons narrower and less concave in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 17 ) than in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 10 ); dorsal preantennal suture reaches more than half-way between dsms and ads in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 17 ), but is shorter P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 10 ); proximal end of basal apodeme about as wide as distal end in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 18 ), but much wider in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 11 ); proximal mesosome bulbous in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 12 ), but rounded rectangular in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 19 ); marginal thickenings of mesosomal lobes diffuse distally in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 12 ), but distinct and clearly separated medially in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 19 ); parameres short with pst1–2 located close together in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 20 ), but parameres longer, clearly divergent distally, with pst1–2 further apart in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 13 ); aps present on male tergopleurites V–VII in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 8 ), but absent in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 15 ); ss on female tergopleurite VIII minute in P. (T.) orichalca ( Fig. 16 ), but moderate in P. (T.) austini ( Fig. 9 ).

Description. Both sexes, Head pentagonal ( Fig. 17 ). Frons slightly concave. Lateral margins of preantennal head straight. Dorsal preantennal suture broad, reaching dsms and at least half-way to ads; suture may extend anterior to dsms as in Fig. 17 , but does not reach margin of head. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 17 . Coni not reaching distal margin of scape. Pteronotum with 5 mms on each side ( Figs 15–16 ). Pigmentation slightly variable between material from different host species, darkest in material from T. brevicaudatus stevensi ; marginal carina, head nodi, most of marginal temporal carina, mandibular framework, flagellomeres, gular plate, proepimera, metepisterna and pleural incrassations medium to pale coppery brown; meso- and metasterna and sternal and subgenital plates pale brown to near translucent. Females typically darker than males taken from same host individual.

Male. Abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 15 ; aps absent on tergopleurites VI–VII. Male genitalia as in Figs 18–20 . Basal apodeme proximally rounded, slightly constricted at mid-length ( Fig. 18 ). Proximal mesosome broad, rectangular ( Fig. 19 ). Mesosomal lobes with rugose ventral nodi. Marginal thickening of mesosomal lobes sinuous laterally, interrupted medially; 2 ames sensilla on each side near proximal ends of lobes; 1 pmes sensillus on each side near gonopore, encircled by thickenings of gonopore; 1 pmes microseta laterally on each side distal to rugose nodi. Parameral heads large ( Fig. 20 ), irregular in shape, with slight median protrusion at mid-length. Parameral blades short, slightly divergent; pst1–2 close together. Measurements ex Turdinus brevicaudatus leucostictus (n = 2): TL = 1.29–1.31; HL = 0.34–0.35; HW = 0.34; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.30–0.31; AW = 0.41– 0.44. Measurements ex Pellorneum tickelli tickelli (n = 2): TL = 1.26–1.27; HL = 0.34–0.35; HW = 0.34–0.35; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.30; AW = 0.42. Measurements ex Stachyris maculata pectoralis (n = 1): TL = 1.27; HL = 0.34; HW = 0.34; PRW = 0.20; PTW = 0.29; AW = 0.41. Measurements ex Stachyris nigriceps davisoni (n = 1): TL = 1.29; HL = 0.35; HW = 0.34; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.30; AW = not measured. Measurements ex Turdinus macrodactylus macrodactylus (n = 1): TL = 1.24; HL = 0.33; HW = 0.35; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.29; AW = 0.38. Measurements ex Turdinus brevicaudatus stevensi (n = 1): TL = 1.31; HL = 0.35; HW = 0.37; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.32; AW = 0.43.

Female. Abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 16 . Vulval margin slightly flattened medially ( Fig. 21 ), with 2–3 slender vms on each side (medial-most vms much shorter than other vms) and 5–7 thorn-like vss on each side; 4–6 slender vos; distal vos anterior to vss. Measurements ex Turdinus brevicaudatus leucostictus (n = 2): TL = 1.64–1.73; HL = 0.38; HW = 0.39–0.40; PRW = 0.23–0.24; PTW = 0.34–0.35; AW = 0.51–0.54. Measurements ex Pellorneum tickelli tickelli (n = 4): TL = 1.44–1.54; HL = 0.35–0.39; HW = 0.36–0.40; PRW = 0.21–0.24; PTW = 0.32–0.34; AW = 0.43–0.47. Measurements ex Stachyris maculata pectoralis (n = 1): TL = 1.52; HL = 0.35; HW = 0.36; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.31; AW = 0.46. Measurements ex Stachyris nigriceps davisoni (n = 1): TL = 1.48; HL = 0.39; HW = 0.39; PRW = 0.23; PTW = 0.32; AW = 0.46. Measurements ex Turdinus macrodactylus macrodactylus (n = 1): TL = 1.41; HL = 0.35; HW = 0.36; PRW = 0.22; PTW = 0.31; AW = 0.44.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from Greek “ oreikhalkos ”, for “mountain copper”, which refers to an unidentified ancient copper alloy considered almost as valuable as gold. This seems a fitting name for a copperedged louse found mainly at high elevations sites.

Type material. Ex Turdinus brevicaudatus leucostictus : Holotype Ƌ, Terengganu, elev. 4200 ft., 102° 36’ E . 5° 25’ N, Malaysia, 16 Mar. 1974, Gn. Lawit Expedition, Brit. Mus. 1974–2 ( NHML) . Paratypes: 1♂, 2♀, same data as holotype ( NHML) .

Additional material examined (non-types). Ex Pellorneum tickelli tickelli : 2♂, 5♀, Terengganu, elev. 4200 ft., 102° 36’ E. 5° 25’ N, Malaysia, 16 Mar. 1974, Gn. Lawit Expedition, Brit. Mus. 1974–2 ( NHML) .

Ex Stachyris maculata pectoralis : 1♂, 1♀, Gombak, Malaysia, 29 Jan. 1963, M-02278 ( OSUS).

Ex Stachyris nigriceps davisoni : 1♂, 1♀, Terengganu, elev. 4200 ft., 102° 36’ E, 5° 25’ N, Malaysia, 14 Mar. 1974, Gn. Lawit Expedition, Brit. Mus. 1974–2 ( NHML).

Ex Turdinus brevicaudata stevensi : 1♂, Shiwandashan National Park [elev. 300–900m], Guanxi, China, 21 Apr. 2005, S.E. Bush & D.H. Clayton, host TJO-6217, RP-911 (PIPeR).

Ex Turdinus macrodactylus macrodactylus : 1♂, 1♀, Terengganu, elev. 140 ft., 102° 40’ E. 5° 28’ N, Malaysia, 30 Mar. 1974, Gn. Lawit Expedition, Brit. Mus. 1974–2 ( NHML) .

Remarks. No significant differences have been found between material from the different host species except for differences in size. Due to the small number of examined specimens from all hosts, we do not presently attach any significance to these size differences.

Parameres ( Figs 18, 20 ) are drawn from a male collected from Stachyris maculata pectoralis since all males from the type host had partially everted parameres

Figures

FIGURES 15–16. Priceiella (Thescelovora) orichalca n. sp. ex Turdinus brevicaudatus leucostictus (Sharpe, 1887). 15, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 16, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

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.

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 8–9. Priceiella (Thescelovora) austini n. sp. ex Pomatorhinus ruficollis intermedius Cheng, 1963. 8, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views.9, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.