Palaeopsylla (Palaeopsylla) aysenurae Keskin & Beaucournu, 2019

Keskin, Adem & Beaucournu, Jean-Claude, 2019, Palaeopsylla (Palaeopsylla) aysenurae n. sp., a new ctenophthalmid flea (Siphonaptera: Ctenophthalmidae) from Turkey, Zootaxa 4613 (2), pp. 369-374 : 370-372

Palaeopsylla (Palaeopsylla) aysenurae Keskin & Beaucournu n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F83C5190-D6BF-4116-B761-F0A405F7081A

Material examined. Holotype male, Talpa levantis, Yomra district (40 0, 49′ N, 39 0 49′ E, elevation 500 m, hazelnut garden), Trabzon province, Turkey, 22 January 2018 . Allotype female, same host and locality as holotype . Paratypes (4 males, 4 females), same host and locality as holotype; 2 males, 1 female, Talpa levantis, Yomra district (elevation 600 m, leaf cabbage garden), Trabzon province, Turkey, 20 January 2018 ; 3 females, Talpa levantis, Maçka district (40 0 49′ N, 39 0 37′, elevation 300 m, hazelnut garden ), Trabzon province, Turkey, 24 January 2018 .

Deposition of Types. The holotype, allotype and 10 paratypes are deposited in the flea collection of Department of Biology, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Tokat, Turkey; 4 paratypes (2 males and 2 females) were deposited in the flea collection of J-C. Beaucournu, the collection later deposited at the Laboratory of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France (MNHN).

Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to the first daughter of the first author.

Diagnosis. Palaeopsylla (Palaeopsylla) aysenurae n. sp. is a member of the Palaeopsylla minor -group. It is closely related to P. (P.) caucasica . Males of P. (P.) aysenurae n. sp. can be distinguished from P. caucasica by the following suite of characters: distal arm of sternum IX short and wide (distal arm of sternum IX long and narrow in P. caucasica ); postero-ventral angle of sternum VIII triangular (posterior margin of sternum VIII of P. caucasica convex); apex of the proximal arm of sternum IX moderately wide and oblique (apex of the proximal arm of sternum IX in P. caucasica wider and moderately elongated to backward). Females of P. (P.) aysenurae n. sp. can be distinguished from P. caucasica by the following characters: caudal margin of sternum VII slightly concave in the middle (moderately emarginated in P. caucasica ); hilla of spermatheca not curved over bulga (slightly curved over bulga in P. caucasica ).

Head ( Figs 1 , 5 ). Frontal tubercle conspicuous in both sexes. Frontal sclerotization below the frontal tubercle of medium width throughout. Frons bearing four large setae with four minute intercalary setae. Second and third spines of genal ctenidium spatulate, also tapering gradually to the apex; second spine of genal ctenidium broadest in the middle; third spine of genal ctenidium broadest in the basal one-third. Lowermost (first) spine in genal ctenidium about half the length of the second genal ctenidium, smoothly rounded apically. Eyes vestigial. Occipital region with three rows of setae, arranged 2-2-1. Labial palps and stylets almost reaching the middle of the forecoxae.

Thorax. Pronotum bearing a single row of five long setae per side with four intercalary setae. Pronotal ctenidium with 20 spines in male, 18 spines in female. Mesonotum with two rows of setae, main row consisting of four setae with four intercalary setae, preceded by a secondary row of three setae. Three pseudosetae under the mesonotal collar on each side, lowermost pseudoseta slightly shorter than others. Mesepisternum and mesepimeron with three and four setae, respectively. Pleural rod well-developed. Metanotum with two rows of setae, main row consisting of four setae with four intercalary setae, preceded by a secondary row of three setae; metanotal collar without seta and spinelet. Metepisternum, metasternum and metepimeron with 2, 1 and 4 setae, respectively.

Legs. Outer surface of forecoxa with 19 or 20 setae. Trochanter with a lateral seta. Femur with single setae on ventro-proximal and ventro-distal sides and three small setae on the dorsal side. Tarsal segment V with five pairs of lateral plantar setae (four setae on one side and five on the other in some specimens) and with one pair of apical plantar setae; first pair of lateral plantar setae displaced mesad and lying between the members of the second pair.

Unmodified abdominal segments. In male, abdominal terga I–V with two rows of setae, the main row consisting of 3, 5, 5, 5, 5 setae, preceded by a secondary row consisting of 2, 4, 2, 2, 1 setae, respectively; main setal row with intercalary setae. Tergum VI with row of five setae. In female, abdominal terga I–VI with two rows of setae, the main row of 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 setae, preceded by a secondary row of 3, 6, 6, 5, 6, 5 setae, respectively; main setal row with intercalary setae. The lowermost setae of the main setal row located below the spiracular fossa in all abdominal terga in both sexes. Terga I–IV with one marginal tergal spinelet. In male, sterna II–VI with one row setae consisting of 1, 2, 2, 2, and 2, respectively; dorsal setae a little small than ventral. In female, sterna II with single seta; sterna III– VI with two rows setae; the main row of four setae, preceded by a secondary row of 1, 2, 1, and 1 setae, respectively.

Modified abdominal segments of male. Tergum VII with one row of setae consisting of five setae and five intercalary setae, the lowermost setae located below the spiracular fossa. Three antesensilial setae with approximate ratios starting from the most dorsal: 0.25:1:0.38. Sternum VIII ( Fig. 2 ) with three setae in the mid-ventral region, postero-ventral angle triangular. Basimere (bs., Fig. 3 ) nearly oval, with striarium in ventral region, bearing very long acetabular seta, and with 8‒9 small to mid-size setae on the dorsal side. Telomere (tl.) straight, width nearly uniform, dorsal and ventral margins parallel and apex rather straight. Distal arm (di.a.) of sternum IX short and wide; dorsal edge of the apex longer than the ventral edge, with five small setae and 6‒7 medium and one long setae in apical margin. Apex of the proximal arm (p.a.) of sternum IX moderately wide and oblique. Aedeagal apodeme (ae.ap.) of phallosome ( Fig. 4 ) broadest in the middle, curved upwards anteriorly.

Modified abdominal segments of female. Tergum VII with two rows of setae, main row consisting of four setae with four intercalary setae; the main setal row preceded by a secondary row of four setae; the lowermost seta of main row located below the spiracular fossa. Three antesensilial setae with approximate ratios starting from the most dorsal: 0.5:1:0.5. Sternum VII ( Fig. 6 ) with 11 setae (four fine, seven stout) in the mid-ventral region. Dorso-apical margin of sternum VII slightly convex; caudal margin slightly concave in the middle; caudal-ventral margin with triangular lobe, sinus sub-ventral. Dorsal and ventral margins of sternum VIII subparallel, apex bearing five fine setae. Tergum VIII bearing five genital setae ( Fig. 7 ). Hilla (hl.) of spermatheca not recurved over bulbous bulga (bu.) ( Figs. 8a, b ). Ductus bursae (d.b.) of bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 9 ) curved, perula (per.) quadrate, but rounded posteriorly.

Dimensions (slide-mounted specimens). Holotype, 2.1 mm; allotype, 2.6 mm.

Figures

FIGURES 1‒4. Palaeopsylla aysenurae n. sp., male holotype. 1. Head. 2. Sternum VIII (with variations). 3. Paramere and sternum IX. 4. Phallosome. (scale bar = 100 µm).

FIGURES 5‒9. Palaeopsylla aysenurae n. sp., female allotype. 5. Head. 6. Sternum VII (with variations) and sternum VIII. 7. Genital setae 8. Spermatheca (a. allotype, b. paratype). 9. Bursa copulatrix. (Scale bar = 100 µm).