Hoplopleura zyzomydis, Weaver, Haylee J. & Barton, Philip S., 2008

Weaver, Haylee J. & Barton, Philip S., 2008, A new species of sucking louse (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) from Australia, and a key to the Australian species of Hoplopleura, Zootaxa 1679, pp. 55-62 : 56-60

Hoplopleura zyzomydis n. sp.

( Figs. 1–9 )

Material examined. Holotype: male, ex Zyzomys argurus , May Downs Station, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia (20°39’S, 139°23’E), coll. H. J. Weaver, 14.v.2005, ANIC 19­000001.

Allotype: female, same data, ANIC 19­000002.

Paratypes: 1 male, 9 females, same data, ANIC 19­000003, 19­000004, 19­000005.

Other material examined: 2 females, 15.v.2005, ANIC 19­000015, ex Z. argurus , coll H. J. Weaver, May Downs Station, Mount Isa, Queensland. 4 males, 8 females, 27.vii.2004, ANIC 19­000008, 19­000009, 19­ 0 0 0 0 10, 19­000011; 1 male, 29.vii.2004, ANIC 19­000012; 1 male, 5 females, 30.vii.2004, ANIC 19­000013, 19­000014; 2 females, 24.v.2005, ANIC 19­000016; 1 male, 10 females, 4 immature, 27.v.2005, ANIC 19­ 0 0 0 0 17, 19­000018, 19­000019, 19­000020; ex Z. argurus , coll. H. J. Weaver, Moondarra Dam, Mount Isa, Queensland (20°32’S, 139°28’E). 2 females, 8.iv.2005, ANIC 19­000006, 19­000007 ex Z. argurus , coll H. J. Weaver, Mt Morgan, central Queensland (23o 38'S, 150o 21'E).

Description. Male ( Fig 1 ): Total body length, x 1.014 (0.950 – 1.130, n = 5). Head, thorax and abdomen moderately sclerotised.

Head as wide as long ( Fig 2 ), 3 or 4 apical head setae (ApHS), 3 or 4 anterior marginal head setae (AnMHS), 2 dorsal marginal head setae ( DMHS), 1 long dorsal principal head seta ( DPHS) on each side, 2 ventral pre­antennal head setae (VPaHS), 1 long ventral principal head seta ( VPHS) on each side. Antenna 5 segmented with basal segment larger than other segments and as wide as long, fourth antennal segment with small posterior spur.

Thorax wider than long. Thoracic sternal plate ( Fig 3 ) club­shaped with rounded lateral margins and elongated posterior process. Anterior process present and sclerotised, marked off laterally by a notch from the main plate. Mesothoracic spiracle diameter x 0.0165 (0.0125 – 0.0175, n = 5). Dorsal principal thoracic seta ( DPTS) length x 0.0340 (0.0275 – 0.0375, n = 5), no other setae present on thorax except on legs.

Abdomen wider than thorax. Ventrally, no sternite on segment 1, two elongate sternites (nos. 1 and 2) on segment 2 each articulating with corresponding 2nd paratergal plate, two sternites on each of segments 3–6 (nos. 3–10), one sternite on segment 7 (no. 11), sternites absent on segment 8. Sternite 1 with eight sternal abdominal setae (StAS), sternite 2 with seven StAS with two lateral StAS on each side markedly thickened, sternites 3–5 with seven or eight StAS, sternites 6–11 with five to seven StAS. One ventral lateral abdominal seta ( VLAS) lateral to sternite 6 and sternites 8–11. Dorsally, one narrow tergite on segment 2, one narrow and one comparatively broader tergite on segment 3. One tergite on each of segments 4–7. Tergites 1 and 7 each with one tergal abdominal seta (TeAS) each side positioned laterally, tergite 2 with two TeAS each side, tergites 3–6 each with five to seven TeAS.

Paratergal plates ( Fig 4 ) present on segments 1–8, plate 1 reduced and lacking setae, plate 2 with two apical setae of moderate size and unequal length, plate 3 with two apical setae of moderate size and equal length, plates 7 and 8 each with two long apical setae. Plates 3–6 each with serrated posterolateral lobes. Plate 7 with posterolateral lobe on dorsal side only. Plates 3–7 each with moderately sized spiracles, spiracle size on 5th abdominal segment x 0.0158 (0.0150 – 0.0175, n = 5). All plates differentially sclerotised.

Genitalia ( Fig 5 ) with basal apodeme longer than parameres, parameres slender and tapering posteriorly, pseudopenis extending beyond apices of parameres with serrated posterolateral margins.

Female ( Fig 6 ): Total body length, x 1.293 (1.210 – 1.400, n = 10). Head, thorax and abdomen as in male unless indicated otherwise.

Head longer than wide.

Thorax as long as wide. Thoracic sternal plate similar to male but with less sclerotisation ( Fig 7 ). Mesothoracic spiracle diameter, x 0.0165 (0.0125 – 0.0200, n = 9). DPTS length, x 0.0375 (0.0350 – 0.0425, n = 8).

Abdomen wider than thorax. Ventrally, two sternites on segment 2 each articulating with corresponding paratergal plate, sternite 2 markedly broader than sternite 1. Three narrow sternites on each of segments 3–6, one narrow sternite on segment 7. Sternite 2 as in male with two thickened lateral StAS each side, sternites 3– 15 each with five to eight StAS, one VLAS lateral to sternites 8, 11, 13 and 15. Dorsally, two broad tergites on segment 2, one broad and one narrow tergite on segment 3, three narrow tergites on segments 4 to7, one broad tergite on segment 8. One lateral TeAS on each side of tergites 1 and 2, four to six TeAS on each of tergites 3– 16, setae absent on tergite 17.

Paratergal plates as in male ( Fig 8 ), spiracle diameter on 5th abdominal segment, x 0.0176 (range = 0.0150 – 0.0200, n = 10).

Genitalia ( Fig 9 ) with moderately sclerotised subgenital plate, marked lateral indentations and rounded indentation in the posterior margin. Two setae inserted on the anterior arms of subgenital plate on each side, four small setae arranged in a line centrally and two small setae on each side of posterior lobes of subgenital plate. Gonopod VIII on each side with three small setae posteromedially, gonopod IX on each side with stout terminal seta and three long setae anteriorly, several small setae medial to gonopods IX.

Etymology. This species is named after the genus of its rodent host, Zyzomys argurus .

Remarks. This new species of Hoplopleura was collected from seven of 20 Z. argurus from localities at Mount Isa and Mount Morgan in Queensland, Australia.

A list of the Australian species of Hoplopleura , their rodent hosts and distribution are shown in Table 1 .

1996).

Hoplopleura zyzomydis can be distinguished from all other Australian species by having short DPTS and setae absent from paratergal plates 4–6. All other Australian species have long DPTS and setae present, although reduced in some, on paratergal plates 2–8.

The absence of a ventral posterolateral lobe on the 7th paratergal plate is a further diagnostic feature. Both the dorsal and ventral lobes of the 7th paratergal plate are absent or reduced in H. cornata , H. gyomydis , H. irritans , H. uromydis , H. bidentata and H. pacifica , and both conspicuously present in H. mastacomydis and H. calabyi .

Male H. zyzomydis have one tergite and two sternites on each of abdominal segments 4–6 which is similar to H. uromydis , H. gyomydis , H. irritans and H. mastacomydis but dissimilar to H. cornata which has three sternites on segment 4. Female H. zyzomydis have three tergites and three sternites on each of abdominal segments 4–6 which is similar to H. mastacomydis , H. irritans , H. gyomydis , H. cornata and H. uromydis but dissimilar to H. bidentata which has only two sternites on segments 4–6.

Hoplopleura zyzomydis is morphologically dissimilar to the unnamed Hoplopleura sp. from Melomys cervinipes (Gould, 1852) ( Rodentia : Muridae ) partially described by Kuhn & Ludwig (1967) by having short DPTS and setae absent from paratergal plates 4–6. Of note is the presence of a single prominent dorsal lobe on paratergal plate 7, similar to H. zyzomydis .

The original description of H. pacifica by Ewing (1924) is limited, but comments by Johnson (1972) and examination of specimens from the ANIC indicate clearly that it is morphologically dissimilar to H. zyzomydis with apical setae present on paratergites 4–6 and long DPTS.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Male of Hoplopleura zyzomydis n. sp.: 1. Whole body, dorsal / ventral view, 2. Head, dorsal / ventral view, 3. Thoracic sternal plate, 4. Paratergites, 5. Genitalia. Scale bars: 1, 4 = 0.100 mm; 2, 3, 5 = 0.050 mm.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Female of Hoplopleura zyzomydis n. sp.: 6. Whole body, dorsal / ventral view, 7. Thoracic sternal plate, 8. Paratergites, 9. Genitalia. Scale bars: 6, 8 = 0.100 mm; 7, 9 = 0.050 mm.

Tables

TABLE 1. Australian species of Hoplopleura, their hosts and distribution (Durden & Musser, 1994; Palma & Barker,

Species	Host	Distribution
H. pacifica	Rattus spp.	Near global – wide ranging tropical, subtropical and warm temperate areas
H. uromydis	Uromys caudimaculatus (Kreft, 1867)	Queensland
H. bidentata	Hydromys chrysogaster Geoffroy, 1804	New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania
H. calabyi	Pseudomys higginsi (Trouessart, 1897)	Tasmania
H. cornata	Rattus sordidus (Gould, 1858)	Queensland
H. gyomydis	Pseudomys fumeus (Brazenor, 1934)	Victoria
H. irritans	Rattus fuscipes (Waterhouse, 1839) , Rat­ tus lutreolus (Gray, 1867)	Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland
H. mastacomydis	Mastacomys fuscus Thomas, 1882	New South Wales, Tasmania
H. zyzomydis n. sp.	Zyzomys argurus (Thomas, 1889)	Queensland