Myrsidea eslamii Halajian and Sychra

Halajian, Ali, Sychra, Oldrich, Luus-Powell, Wilmien & Engelbrecht, Derek, 2012, Chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 3442, pp. 58-68 : 62-64

Myrsidea eslamii Halajian and Sychra sp. nov.

( Figs. 6–8 , 15–16 )

Type host: Zoothera gurneyi (Hartlaub) —Orange Ground-Thrush

Female (n = 6). As in Fig. 15 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites strongly developed (as in Fig. 10 ). Length of DHS 10, 0.060–0.075; DHS 11, 0.100–0.115; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.56–0.75. Gula with 4–6 setae on each side. Metasternal plate with 4–5 setae, metanotum not enlarged, with 12–15 marginal setae. Femur III with 22–26 setae in ventral setal brush.

Abdominal tergites as in Fig. 6 with enlarged tergites I–IV. Medial part of tergite I in form of narrow processus. Medial part of tergite II–IV very narrow with conspicuously convex posterior margin. Tergal setae, with median gap in each row: I, 10–13; II, 16–19; III, 16–19; IV, 16–20; V, 17–22; VI, 17–21; VII, 10–13; VIII, 8. Postspiracular setae extremely long (0.42–0.53) on II, IV and VIII; long (0.33–0.40) on I and VII and short (0.18– 0.25) on III, V and VI (in 2 females 0.31 and 0.32 on one side of tergite III). Sternal setae ( Fig. 7 ): II, 4–5 in each aster, 17–21 marginal between asters, 2–3 anterior; III, 45–55; IV, 54–67; V, 48–61; VI, 31–45; VII, 12–18; VIII– IX, 14–19 marginal and 11–17 anterior; including medioanterior setae on sternites III–VI: III, 7–12; IV, 5–11; V, 3– 8; VI, 2–6. Anal fringe of 35–38 dorsal and 33–41 ventral setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.49–0.51; POW, 0.36–0.38; HL, 0.30–0.33; PW, 0.30–0.32; MW, 0.47–0.53; AW, 0.62–0.68; LSVII, 0.075–0.085; ANW, 0.23–0.25; TL, 1.55– 1.72.

Male (n = 7). As in Fig. 16 . Length of DHS 10, 0.060–0.070; DHS 11, 0.095–0.115; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.56– 0.68. Gula with 5–7 setae on each side. Metasternal plate with 5–7 setae. Metanotum with 8–13 marginal setae. Femur III with 13–19 setae in ventral setal brush.

Tergal setae: I, 7–10; II, 12–16; III, 11–16; IV, 11–15; V, 12–15; VI, 10–16; VII, 8–11; VIII, 7–8. Postspiracular setae as for female. Sternal setae: II, 3–4 in each aster, 14–17 marginal between asters, 1–2 anterior; III, 28–40; IV, 35–41; V, 34–38; VI, 28–33; VII, 10–16; VIII, 4–10; including medioanterior setae on sternites III– IV: III, 2–6; IV, 0–3; one male also with 2 and 1 medioanterior setae on sternites V and VI, respectively. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 8 . Dimensions: TW, 0.44–0.49; POW, 0.33–0.35; HL, 0.28–0.30; PW, 0.26–0.29; MW, 0.35– 0.43; AW, 0.45–0.49; LSVII, 0.110–0.115; GW, 0.09–0.11; GL, 0.39–0.45; GSL, 0.10–0.11; PAL, 0.06–0.08; TL, 1.20–1.35.

Type material. Holotype female (A. Halajian SA11) ex Zoothera gurneyi (Turdidae) , South Africa: Woodbush forest, Limpopo Province (23˚50'16.9"S, 29˚59'17.8"E), 11–12 March 2012, Halajian leg. Paratypes: 5 females and 7 males with the same data as holotype (A. Halajian SA10, 12–15), all deposited in BMNH. Paratypes: 1 female and 1 male with the same data as holotype (A. Halajian SA16), deposited in DBUL.

Remarks. Although Ledger (1980: 64) mentioned some Myrsidea from Turdus gurney (= Zoothera gurney ) from the Transvaal (= South Africa), this is the first determination of the species of Myrsidea from this host in South Africa. This is the second species of Myrsidea from Zoothera gurney . It conspicuously differs from M. montana Clay, 1966 described from the same host from Tanganyika ( Tanzania) ( Clay 1966) by having non-divided tergites II–IV and smaller number of setae on tergites I (10–13 vs. 21) and VIII (8 vs. 12). The shape of the tergites in the female is almost the same as for those of M. abidae Ansari, 1956 described from Turdus fumigatus aquilonalis (Cherrie) from Venezuela and T. f. fumigatus Lischtenstein from British Guiana ( Ansari 1956, Clay 1966). The female of M. eslamii sp. nov. differs from those of M. abidae by (1) smaller number of setae on tergites, especially on tergite VII (10–13 vs. 15–18), (2) larger number of setae on sternites III–V (each with 45–67 vs. 26– 35), (3) smaller dimensions, especially TW (0.49–0.51 vs. 0.54) and (4) postspiracular seta VII as short as those on V and VI.

However, the male of M. eslamii sp. nov. has the same shape of genital sac sclerite, differing from males of M. montana by a smaller number of setae on tergite I (7–10 vs. 12–16) and larger number of setae on sternites IV and V (each with 34–41 vs. 22–32), and from those of M. abidae by a smaller number of setae on tergites III–VI (each with 10–16 vs. 18–22).

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Prof. Ali Eslami, Iranian Veterinary Parasitologist (University of Tehran).

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 8. Myrsidea eslamii sp. nov. 6. Female dorsal pterothorax and abdomen. 7. Female ventral pterothorax and abdomen. 8. Male genital sac sclerite. Scales 0.50 mm (Figs. 6, 7), 0.05 mm (Fig. 8).

FIGURES 13 – 18. Myrsidea aynazae. 13. Holotype female. 14. Paratype male. Myrsidea eslamii. 15. Holotype female. 16. Paratype male. Myrsidea mariquensis. 17. Holotype female. 18. Paratype male.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Myrsidea mariquensis sp. nov. 9. Female dorso-ventral pterothorax and abdomen. 10. Hypopharyngeal sclerite. 11. Male dorso-ventral pterothorax and abdomen. 12. Male genital sac sclerite. Scales 0.50 mm (Figs. 9, 11), 0.05 mm (Figs. 10, 12).