Guimaraesiella (Dicrurobates) campanula Gustafsson & Bush, new species

(Figs 64–71)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 41304C59-A370-41C5-B850-819B076D7847

Type host. Oriolus larvatus rolleti Salvadori, 1864 —Africa black-headed oriole ( Oriolidae).

Other host: Prionops plumatus poliocephalus (Stanley, 1814) —white helmet-shrike ( Vangidae)

Type locality. Walamba, Zambia .

Diagnosis. Guimaraesiella (Dicrurobates) campanula is morphologically closest to Guimaraesiella (Di.) transvaalensis, but they can be separated by the following characters: (1) male tergopleurite VIII with 1 tps on each side in Guimaraesiella (Di.) transvaalensis (Fig. 57), but without tps in Guimaraesiella (Di.) campanula (Fig. 64); (2) female abdominal segment VI with 3 ps on each side in Guimaraesiella (Di.) campanula (Fig. 65), but 2 ps on each side in Guimaraesiella (Di.) transvaalensis (Fig. 58); (3) proximal mesosome tapering distally in Guimaraesiella (Di.) campanula (Figs 69–70), but not tapering in Guimaraesiella (Di.) transvaalensis (Fig.61).

Description. Both sexes. Head shape and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 66. Lateral margins of preantennal head highly convex, frons rounded to slightly flattened; marginal carina of moderate, more or less even, width, interrupted submedianly; dorsal preantennal suture reaches dsms but not lateral head margins; posterior extent of suture differing among specimens, with suture typically present around aperture of ads, but in some specimens part of the anterior section of the suture extends towards ads, varying between sides of the head of same specimens; ventral anterior plate crescent-shaped; preantennal nodi slender, bulging; pre- and postocular nodi small; marginal temporal carina slender, more or less regular; gular plate rhombic with anterior and lateral points (Fig. 66). Thoracic and abdominal segments as in Figs 64–65.

Male. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 64; 3 ps on each side of abdominal segment VI. Genitalia as in Figs 67–70: basal apodeme widening distally (Fig. 67). Proximal mesosome tapering distally; lateral margins rounded but not flaring conspicuously in specimens from type host (Fig. 69), but flaring in specimens from Prionops plumatus poliocephalus (Fig. 70). Ventral sclerite elongated, trapezoidal, reaching near anterior margin of mesosome, thickened in specimens from the type host (Fig. 69), but in specimens from P. plumatus poliocephalus this sclerite is shorter, rounded anteriorly and not thickened in the anterior end (Fig. 70). Mesosomal lobe rounded, triangular, distal margin rounded (Fig. 69); rugose nodi moderate; 2 ames sensilla on each side near anterior ends of mesosomal lobes; 2 pmes microsetae on each side on lateral margins of mesosomal lobes; gonopore somewhat oval, with slender marginal thickenings (Figs 69, 70). Parameral heads as in Fig. 68. Parameral blades broad, tapering only distally (Figs 67–68); blades shorter in specimens from P. plumatus poliocephalus (not illustrated) than in specimens from the type host. Measurements: Ex Oriolus larvatus rolleti (n = 3): TL = 1.42–1.52; HL = 0.35–0.36; HW = 0.30–0.31; PRW = 0.18–0.20; PTW = 0.28–0.29; AW = 0.39–0.43. Ex Prionops plumatus poliocephalus (n = 2): TL = 1.60–1.61; HL = 0.40; HW = 0.34; PRW = 0.23; PTW = 0.32–0.33; AW = 0.43–0.46.

Female. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 65; abdominal segments VI–VII with 3 ps on each side; psps absent on tergopleurite VIII (Fig. 65). Subgenital plate with lateral margins of anterior section concave to roughly flat; vulval margin rounded, with median section flattened; 2–4 short, slender vms and 3–4 short, stout vss on each side; 4 short, slender vos on each side of submarginal plate; distal 1 vos median to vss (Fig. 71). Vulval chaetotaxy of single female from P. plumatus poliocephalus overlaps with those of two females from type host, except in that it has 6 vos on each side, of which 2 are median to vss. Measurements: Ex Oriolus larvatus rolleti (n = 2): TL = 1.71–1.83; HL = 0.40–0.43; HW = 0.34–0.37; PRW = 0.21–0.22; PTW = 0.33–0.34; AW = 0.47–0.49. Ex Prionops plumatus poliocephalus (n = 1): TL = 1.70; HL = 0.41; HW = 0.34; PRW = 0.23; PTW = 0.33; AW = 0.51.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from “ campana ” Latin for bell, in the diminutive form, referring to the bell-shaped head of this species.

Type material. Ex Oriolus larvatus rolleti: Holotype Ƌ, Walamba, Zambia [as North Rhodesia], 13 Sep. [year not noted], ML/97 , Brit. Mus. 1954-137 (NHML). [marked with black dot on slide]. Paratypes: 2♂, 2♀, same data as holotype (NHML) .

Non-type material. Ex Prionops plumatus poliocephalus [some as P. plumatus angolica]: 1♂, Luanshya, Zam-bia [as N. Rhodesia], 3 Jul. 1955, ML /123, Brit. Mus. 1956-310 (NHML). 1♂, 1♀, same locality, 22 Sep. 1955, E.L. Haydock, ML /25, Brit. Mus. 1952-149 (NHML).

Remarks. Lice from Prionops plumatus poliocephalus have the same head shape as those from the type host, and are morphologically very similar. Only one of the males examined from this host has clearly visible genitalia, which differ in the shape of the mesosome in specimens from the type host (see Figs 69–70). It is possible that the populations of Guimaraesiella (Dicrurobates) from these two hosts represent different species. However, as most of the lice from P. plumatus poliocephalus are poorly preserved, we prefer to consider them as conspecific with those from the type host until more specimens can be examined.