Priceiella (Thescelovora) fuscicaena Gustafsson, Clayton, & Bush, new species

(Figs 29–35)

Type host. Malacopteron magnum magnum Eyton, 1839—rufous-crowned babbler ( Pellorneidae).

Type locality. Terengganu, elev. 140 ft., 102° 40’E. 5° 28’ N, Malaysia .

Other hosts. Malacopteron cinereum cinereum Eyton, 1839 —scaly-crowned babbler ( Pellorneidae).

Diagnosis. The general structure of the male genitalia places P. (T.) fuscicaena n. sp. (Figs 32–34) close to P. (T.) coleyae n. sp. (Figs 39–41). Both of these species have a rounded proximal mesosome and mesosomal lobes with broad marginal thickening (Figs 33, 40), which separate both from the angular proximal mesosome and mesosomal lobes with slender marginal thickening of P. (T.) macrocephala n. sp. (Fig. 47). However, the elongated head shape and extended dorsal preantennal suture (Figs 31, 45) and absence of aps on male tergopleurites VI–VII (Figs 29, 43) places P. (T.) fuscicaena closer to P. (T.) macrocephala than to P. (T.) coleyae, which has a shorter head and less extensive dorsal preantennal suture (Fig. 38) and aps on male tergopleurites VI–VII (Fig. 36). It is not clear which of these species is the closest relative to P. (T.) fuscicaena .

Priceiella (Thescelovora) fuscicaena can be separated from P. (T.) coleyae on the following characters: preantennal head short and rounded in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 38) but more elongated in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 31); dorsal preantennal suture extending at least half-way between dsms and ads in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 31) but less than half-way between these setae in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 38); aps absent on male tergopleurites VI–VII in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 29) but present there in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 36); basal apodeme slender, notably constricted at mid-length in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 32) but broader and less or not constricted in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 39); distal mesosome roughly rounded in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 33) but convergent to medial point in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 40); proximal mesosome with ventral rugose area in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 33) but without such area in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 40); parameres parallel distally in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 34) but divergent distally in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 41); vos longer in P. (T.) coleyae (Fig. 42) than in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 35) but vulval chaetotaxy otherwise similar.

Priceiella (Thescelovora) fuscicaena can be separated from P. (T.) macrocephala on the following characters: size (see measurements and cf. Figs 29–30, 43–44); both sexes of P. (T.) macrocephala with 2 sts on abdominal segment VI (Figs 43–44), but only 1 sts on abdominal segment VI in both sexes of P. (T.) fuscicaena (Figs 29–30); male with 1 tps on tergopleurite VIII in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 29) but 2 tps in P. (T.) macrocephala (Fig. 43); basal apodeme slender, notably constricted at mid-length in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 32) but broader and less or not constricted in P. (T.) macrocephala (Fig. 46); proximal mesosome rounded in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 33) but rectangular with roughly flattened anterior margin in P. (T.) macrocephala (Fig. 47); proximal mesosome with ventral rugose area in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 33) but without such area in P. (T.) macrocephala (Fig. 47); marginal thickening of mesosomal lobes broad distally in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 33) but slender distally in P. (T.) macrocephala (Fig. 47); vos much longer in P. (T.) macrocephala (Fig. 49) than in P. (T.) fuscicaena (Fig. 35), but vulval chaetotaxy otherwise similar.

Description. Both sexes. Head pentagonal (Fig. 31). Frons flat to shallowly concave. Lateral margins of preantennal head straight to slightly concave. Dorsal preantennal suture reaches dsms but only half-way to ads. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 31. Coni reach distal margin of scape. Pteronotum with 5 mms on each side (Figs 29– 30). Pigmentation pale and most of body near translucent; marginal carina, head nodi, gular plate, proepimera, metepisterna and pleural incrassations pale brown; sternal plate VI and subgenital plate very pale brown.

Male. Abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 29; aps absent on tergopleurites VI–VII. Male genitalia as in Figs 32–34. Basal apodeme rounded, slender, constricted at mid-length (Fig. 32). Proximal mesosome half-oval, narrow, with rugose ventral area (Fig. 33). Mesosomal lobes gently rounded; distal end of mesosome rounded. Ventral nodi slightly rugose submarginally. Gonopore open only distally; 2 ames sensilla on each side near anterolateral corners of mesosomal lobes; 1 pmes sensillus on each side of posterior end of gonopore; 2 pmes sensilla on each side distal to gonopore, 1 lateral to rugose nodi and 1 medio-posterior to rugose nodi. Parameral heads large, rounded medially (Fig. 34). Parameral blades slender, convergent. Measurements ex Malacopteron magnum magnum (n = 4, except TL where n = 3): TL = 1.15–1.42; HL = 0.32–0.34; HW = 0.32–0.35; PRW = 0.20–0.21; PTW = 0.27–0.30; AW = 0.37–0.44. Measurements ex Malacopteron cinereum cinereum (n = 1): TL = 1.24; HL = 0.33; HW = 0.33; PRW = 0.19; PTW = 0.28; AW = 0.39.

Female. Abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 30. Vulval margin gently rounded (Fig. 35), with 2–3 slender vms and 6–7 thorn-like vss on each side; 4–7 short, slender vos on each side; distal vos much shorter than proximal vos and located just anterior to vss. Measurements ex Malacopteron magnum magnum (n = 3): TL = 1.43–1.47; HL = 0.34–0.35; HW = 0.35–0.36; PRW = 0.21; PTW = 0.31; AW = 0.42–0.47. Measurements ex Malacopteron cinereum cinereum (n = 1): TL = 1.60; HL = 0.37; HW = 0.38; PRW = 0.22; PTW = 0.31; AW = 0.49.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from Latin “ fuscus ” for “brown” and “ caeno ” for “to dine”, referring to the brownish color of both host species.

Type material. Ex Malacopteron magnum magnum: Holotype Ƌ, Terengganu, elev. 140 ft., 102° 40’E, 5° 28’ N, Malaysia, 26 Feb. 1974, Gn. Lawit Expedition, Brit. Mus. 1974–2 (NHML) . Paratypes: 2♂, 2♀, same data as holotype (NHML) .

Additional material examined (non-types). Ex Malacopteron magnum magnum: 1♂, 1♀ Subang, Malaysia, 7 Mar. 1962, M-00957 (OSUS).

Ex Malacopteron cinereum cinereum: 1♂, 1♀ Gombak, Malaysia, 14 Feb. 1963, M-02390 (OSUS).

Remarks. No significant differences have been found between the samples from the two host species.