Tangara larvata

Č, Ř Á, 2007, Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from buntings, cardinals and tanagers (Passeriformes: Emberizidae, Cardinalidae, Thraupidae) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), Zootaxa 1631, pp. 57-68 : 61-63

Host: Tangara larvata (Du Bus de Gisignies) – Golden-hooded Tanager

One chewing louse species was found on this host:

Myrsidea larvatae Sychra , new species ( Figs 5–6 )

Female (4). Species is in the bonariensis species group (sensu Price & Dalgleish 2006). Mean length of head seta 10, only 0.041 (n=7); seta 11, 0.100 (n=7); ratio10/11, 0.41. Gula with 5 setae on each side. Pronotum with 3 short spiniform setae of same length on each lateral corner. Metanotum not enlarged, with 10–13 setae on posterior margin. Metasternal plate with 6 (rarely 7) long setae. Femur III with 15–17 setae in ventral brush.

Abdomen with tergites I–III enlarged; tergite I with straight posterior margin, II with slight medioposterior convexity, III with conspicuous medioposterior convexity and IV–V with gently curved posterior margin ( Fig. 5 ). Tergal setae: I, 30–36; II, 34–36, III, 35–38; IV, 39–40; V, 35–43; VI, 34–39; VII, 33–36; VIII, 25– 27. Postspiracular setae extremely long only on VIII (0.38–0.47), long on II, IV and VII (0.23–0.30), and shorter on I, III and V–VI (0.15–0.20). Margin of pleurites III–VII with 2–3 finer setae much longer than other pleural spiniform setae. Sternite II with 15–18 medioanterior; 16–21 marginal and aster of 4 (less often 3) robust setae on each side. Sternal setae: III, 28–35; IV, 35–44; V, 37–43; VI, 32–36; VII, 17–18; VIII–IX, 18– 21 (including 10–13 marginal setae); without medioanterior setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.42–0.43; HL, 0.29– 0.30; PW, 0.27–0.30; MW, 0.43–0.46; AWIV, 0.58–0.59; TL, 1.45–1.49; ANW, 0.21–0.22.

Male (3). Mean length of head seta 10, only 0.040 (n=6); seta 11, 0.096 (n=6); ratio10/11, 0.42. Tergal setae: I, 27–30; II, 31–36; III–IV, 35–40; V–VI, 37–43; VII, 32–38; VIII, 26–27. Sternite II with 12–15 medioanterior; 15–17 marginal and aster of 4 (less often 3) robust setae on each side. Sternal setae: III, 24–28, IV, 32–34; V, 34–35; VI, 29–33; VII, 21–26; VIII, 9–11; remainder of plate, 9–10; without medioanterior sternal setae. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 6 . Dimensions: TW, 0.39–0.40; HL, 0.27–0.28; PW, 0.26–0.27; MW, 0.35–0.36; AWIV, 0.42–0.44; TL, 1.15–1.17; GL, 0.33–0.35; GW, 0.10–0.11; GSL, 0.07–0.09.

Type material. Female holotype, ex Tangara larvata , COSTA RICA: Barbilla NP, Provincia Limỏn (9°59’N, 85°27’W), 4–6 September 2004, Literák, Č apek & Havlίček coll. Paratypes: 3 females and 3 males with same data as holotype. Deposited in INBio – O. Sychra CR63–64.

Remarks. In the key to Myrsidea males from Thraupidae ( Price & Dalgleish 2006: 23) , M. larvatae n. sp. keys to couplet 11, being closest to M. bonariensis Malcomson, 1929 . While the male of M. larvatae is practically inseparable from that of M. bonariensis (except by having distinctly shorter postspiracular setae II, IV and VII), the female is readily distinguished by its different abdominal tergal configuration and its much larger number of setae on tergite I. In addition, in the key to females of Myrsidea from thraupid hosts ( Price & Dalgleish 2006: 22) the female of M. larvatae keys to couplet 5, being closest to that of M. seminuda Eichler, 1951 . The pattern of abdominal tergal development, a larger number of setae on tergite VIII, a postspiracular seta II distinctly shorter than that on VIII but similar to those on IV and VII, and the temple width separate M. larvatae from M. seminuda . Two birds were examined and both were parasitised by M. larvatae .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the specific name of the type host.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 9. Myrsidea larvatae. 5, Female dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen. 6, Male genital sac sclerite. 7 – 9. M. mitrospingi. 7, Male. 8, Male genitalia. 9, Male genitalia sac sclerite.