Myrsidea pagei Price and Johnson

Price, Roger D. & Johnson, Kevin P., 2009, Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) in Panama, Zootaxa 2200, pp. 61-68 : 65

Myrsidea pagei Price and Johnson , new species

Type host. Ramphocelus dimidiatus Lafresnaye , the Crimson-backed Tanager.

Female (3). Gula with 4 setae on each side. Metanotum and dorsal abdomen as for M. patersoni (Fig. 3). Metanotum not enlarged, posterior margin with 11 setae; metasternal plate with 5–7 setae. Tergites of essentially similar size, with I having straight posterior margin, II–III with obvious convexity, and IV–VI with only slight convexity due to compression by segments anterior to them. Tergal setae: I, 13–14; II, 15–16; III– VI, 15–18; VII, 14–15; VIII, 11–12. Postspiracular setae extremely long on II, IV, VII and VIII (>0.40 long), considerably shorter on I, III, V, and VI (usually <0.30 long). Sternal setae: II, 4 in each aster, 14–18 marginal between asters, 7–8 anterior; III, 22–25; IV, 30–33; V, 34–36; VI, 28–30; VII, 15–17; VIII–IX, 22–26. Anus with 32–36 ventral, 35–38 dorsal fringe setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.47–0.48; HL, 0.32–0.33; PW, 0.30–0.31; MW, 0.46–0.48; AWIV, 0.63–0.66; ANW, 0.23–0.24; TL, 1.58–1.64.

Male (4). Gula with 4, sometimes 5, setae on each side. Metanotal posterior margin with 7–8 setae; metasternal plate with 5–6 setae. Tergal setae: I, 9–12; II, 13–15; III–V, 14–18; VI–VII, 14–16; VIII, 11–13. Postspiracular setae as for female. Sternal setae: II, 4, less often 3, in each aster, 13–16 marginal between asters, 8–10 anterior; III, 19–20; IV, 24–25; V, 28–31; VI, 24–26; VII, 17–18; VIII, 6–7. Genital sac sclerite as for M. patersoni (Fig. 4). Dimensions: TW, 0.42–0.44; HL, 0.30–0.31; PW, 0.27–0.29; MW, 0.39–0.40; AWIV, 0.46–0.49; GL, 0.43–0.46; TL, 1.26–1.30.

Type material. Holotype female, ex R. dimidiatus , PANAMA: Serrania del Maje, 15 Feb 2006, JK06- 0 25, K Johnson. Paratypes: 1 female, 3 males, same data as holotype; 1 female, 1 male, same except 17 Feb 2006, JMD 712.

Remarks. This species is close morphologically to M. patersoni , differing from the other species of the group in the same ways as the latter. These two species are separable by M. pagei having the female with a more obvious medioposterior convexity on tergites II and III and fewer setae on the abdominal sternites, and the male with fewer sternal setae on IV–VI.

Etymology. This species is named for Rod Page, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, in recognition of his contributions to the systematics and electronic taxonomic resources for lice.