Myrsidea flaveolae Kolencik & Sychra, 2017

Literak, Ivan, 2017, Where are the species limits? Morphology versus genetics in Neotropical chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4324 (1), pp. 161-179 : 166-168

Myrsidea flaveolae Kolencik & Sychra , new species

( Figs 1, 4–5 )

Type host. Sicalis flaveola (Linnaeus, 1766) —Saffron finch ( Thraupidae ).

Type locality. Teniente Agripino Enciso National Park , Paraguay (21°12'S, 61°39'W).

Diagnosis. The male genital sac sclerite ( Fig. 1 ) is of the same type of as that of Myrsidea spizae (Price & Dalgleish, 2 006: fig. 29), which is unique among species of Myrsidea from the Thraupidae , but the male of M. flaveolae is easily distinguished by having more setae on all tergites (total number of setae on all tergites is 114 against 49–57 in M. spizae ). The female of M. flaveolae is also very similar to that of M. spizae in dimensions and number of sternal setae, but differ by the following combination of characters: (1) slightly concave tergites I–III; (2) more setae on tergites I, II, VI–VIII (total number of setae on these five tergites is 50 against 27–38 in M. spizae ) and (3) postspiracular seta VI as long as I, against postspiracular seta VI much shorter than I in M. spizae .

Description. Female (n = 1). As in Fig. 4 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites fully developed. Length of dorsal head seta (DHS) 10, 0.075; DHS 11, 0.100; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.75. Labial setae 5 (ls5) 0.06 long, latero-ventral fringe with 12 setae. Gula with 5 setae on each side. Pronotum with 6 setae on posterior margin and 3 short spiniform setae at each lateral corner. First tibia with 4 outer ventro-lateral and 7 dorso-lateral setae. Metanotum not enlarged, with 8 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6 setae; metapleurites with 2–3 short strong spiniform setae. Femur III with 20–21 setae in ventral setal brush. Tergites not enlarged with medioposterior margins slightly concave on tergites I–III. Abdominal segments with well-defined median gap in each row of tergal setae. Tergal setae: I, 11; II, 12; III, 11; IV, 11; V, 10; VI, 11; VII, 9; VIII, 7. Postspiracular setae very long on II, IV, VII and VIII (0.40–0.45); long on I and VI (0.30–0.31); and short on III and V (0.24). Inner posterior seta of last tergum with length 0.06; length of short lateral marginal seta of last segment, 0.03. Pleural setae: I, 5–6; II, 6; III, 5–6; IV, 5–6; V, 5–6; VI, 5; VII, 4; VIII, 3. Pleurites I–II with only short spine-like setae; pleurites III–VII with 1–2 slender and longer setae on inner ventral side; without anterior setae. Anterior margin of sternal plate II with a medial notch. Sternal setae: I, 0; II, 4 in each aster, aster setae length: s1, 0.04; s2, 0.04; s3, 0.03; s4, 0.02; with 16 marginal setae between asters, 9 medioanterior; III, 23; IV, 36; V, 36; VI, 29; VII, 20; VIII–IX, 14; and 9 setae on deeply serrated vulval margin; without medioanterior setae on sternites. Anal fringe formed by 35 dosral and 28 ventral setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.43; POW, 0.34; HL, 0.30; PW, 0.30; MW, 0.45; AW, 0.58; ANW, 0.19; TL, 1.50.

Male (n = 1). As in Fig. 5 . Length of DHS 10, 0.065; DHS 11, 0.090; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.72. Ls5 0.08 long, latero-ventral fringe with 10–11 setae. Gula with 4 setae on each side. Pronotum with 6 setae on posterior margin and 3 short spiniform setae at each lateral corner. First tibia with 4 outer ventro-lateral and 6 dorso-lateral setae. Metanotum not enlarged with 10 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6 setae; metapleurites with 2 short spiniform strong setae. Femur III with 16–17 setae in ventral setal brush. Abdominal segments with continuous row of tergal setae across each segment. Tergal setae: I, 12; II, 13; III, 16; IV, 15; V, 17; VI, 17; VII, 14; VIII, 10. Postspiracular setae very long on II, IV, VII and VIII (0.40–0.45); long on I (0.25); and short on III, V and VI (0.13–0.14). Length of inner posterior seta of last tergum, 0.06; short lateral marginal seta of last segment, 0.02. Pleural setae: I, 4–5; II, 5; III, 6; IV, 6; V, 5; VI, 5; VII, 4–5; VIII, 3. Pleurite I with only short spine-like setae; pleurites II–VII with 1–3 slender and longer setae on inner ventral side; without anterior setae. Anterior margin of sternal plate II with a medial notch. Sternal setae: I, 0; II, 4 in each aster, aster setae length: s1, 0.03–0.04; s2, 0.03; s3, 0.03; s4, 0.02–0.03; with 14 marginal setae between asters, 10 medioanterior; III, 20; IV, 30; V, 33; VI, 32; VII, 19; VIII, 13; remainder of plate, 11; and with 4 setae posteriorly; with 2 medioanterior setae on sternite VIII. With 8 internal anal setae. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 1 . Dimensions: TW, 0.40; POW, 0.32; HL, 0.28; PW, 0.24; MW, 0.33; AW, 0.44; GW, 0.10; GSL, 0.10; TL, 1.24.

Etymology. This species epithet is a noun in apposition derived from the species name of the type host.

Type material. Ex Sicalis flaveola : Holotype ♀, Teniente Agripino Enciso National Park (21°12'S, 61°39'W), 3 Sep. 2012, I. Literak. Paratype: 1♂ with same data as the holotype ( MMBC—O. Sychra PG01).

Remarks. This is the first chewing louse known from Sicalis flaveola .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Myrsidea new species. Figs 1 – 3, male genital sac sclerites: 1, Myrsidea flaveolae n. sp.; 2, Myrsidea habiae n. sp.; 3, Myrsidea sayacae n. sp. Figs 4 – 5, habitus: 4, Myrsidea flaveolae female; 5, Myrsidea flaveolae male.