Lunaceps limosae Bechet, 1968

Gustafsson, Daniel R. & Olsson, Urban, 2012, 3377, Zootaxa 3377, pp. 1-85 : 40-42

Lunaceps limosae Bechet, 1968

( Fig. 16a–d; Table 1)

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann, 1954a: 629 (partim)

Lunaceps limosella limosae Bechet, 1968: 127

Cummingsiella limosae (Timmermann, 1956 [sic!]), Rékási and Kiss, 1977: 104 (uncertain)

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Ledger, 1980: 169 (partim)

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Cabot, 1975: 146

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann [ex Limosa limosa melanuroides ]; Pilgrim and Palma, 1982: 20

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Price et al., 2003: 196 (partim)

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Adam, 2007a: 137

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Adam; 2007b: 151

Type host: Limosa limosa limosa ( Linnaeus, 1758) Other host: Limosa limosa melanuroides Gould, 1846 .

Diagnosis: Marginal carina continuous across the head ( Fig. 16a), but transparent or missing anterior to the AVS2, except for at the ventral anterior plate, where it bulges slightly. Dorsal preantennal suture missing, or present only as a pair of kidney-shaped vestiges anterior-lateral to the ADS. Ventral anterior plate small and irregular, triangular or quadratic. AVS3, AVS2 and ADS more or less aligned, the ventral setae sometimes both slightly anterior to ADS.

Abdominal tergites II in males and II–III in females with wedge-shaped median indentation of the anterior margin ( Fig. 16b), reaching more than a third of the tergite width. Paratergal plates broad. Tergal heads transparent and broad. Sublateral anterior indentations of tergites deep.

Female genital lobes with 5–6 posterior marginal setae, 4–6 sub-marginal setae, and 5–6 median marginal setae ( Fig. 16c). Parameral heads elongated. Shape of mesomere approaching elongated triangle, with straight lateral edges. Lower endomere wide and connected to a broad and clearly delimited apodemal bridge by an equally clearly demarcated triangle ( Fig 16d).

Discussion: Very similar to L. limosella , with which it was synonymised ( Price et al., 2003), but the dorsal preantennal suture of L. limosae is much reduced or missing, making the preantennal area more similar to that of L. paschalis . However, the abdomen of L. limosae is much longer and more slender than that of L. paschalis , and there are further differences in the male genitalia and the preantennal setal arrangement.

There are minor but consistent differences between material collected from the two host subspecies. For instance, populations from L. l. melanuroides have four sub-marginal setae on the female genital lobes, and there are differences in the relative size of the setae on several abdominal segments. However, very few males from the nominate host subspecies are available, and the differences, though consistent, are perhaps not significant enough to justify taxonomic recognition, but should be kept in mind when examining material from East Asia and Australia.

Etymology: From limus = mud. Refers to the host name Limosa , a group of birds that can often be found on mudflats and along shores.

Material examined:

Ex Limosa limosa

♀ 1, ♂ 1, Ireland: Galway, 4 February 1965, D. Cabot, BM 1965-566 ( NHML) . ♀ 3, India: Rajputana , January 1936, Meinertzhagen Collection (4774) ( NHML) . ♀ 6, ♂ 1, Iraq, January 1923, Meinertzhagen Collection (4420) ( NHML) . ♀ 2, India: [Rajasthan?:] Near Ajmere , 27 March 1868, J. Waterston Collection BM 1930-232 ( NHML) . ♀ 1, United Kingdom: Wales: Carmarthenshire: Pendine , 19 September 1935, J. G. Wilson, BM 1980-40 ( NHML) . ♂ 1, Belarus: Turov, ID: 1660-1, Band number: F00262, P. Pinchuk ( SMNH) . ♀ 1, Belarus: Turov, ID: 1660-2, Band number: F00262, P. Pinchuk ( GNM) .

Ex Limosa limosa melanuroides (synonym: Limosa melanura melanuroides )

♀ 15, ♂ 19, New Zealand: Auckland Island: Enderby Island , 8 December 1976, J. A. Battle ( MONZ) . ♀ 5, ♂ 5, Russia: East Siberia: Amur Bai , 27 September 1893, Dorries, J. Waterston Collection BM 1930-232 ( NHML) . ♀ 7, ♂ 4, [ China?:] Tonghoo, 2 October, 1845, R . G. Wardlaw, J. Waterston Collection BM 1930-232 ( NHML) .

Ex Limosa lapponica (possibly stragglers)

♀ 4, ♂ 1, United Kingdom: Sussex: Pagham, 4 September, 1869, Alfred Grant, J. Waterston Collection, BM 1930-232 ( NHML) .

Ex Limosa sp. ♀ 1, New Zealand, 20 November 1927, A. W. Parrot, in R . L.C. Pilgrim Collection ( MONZ) .