Megalipeurus sinensis, Gustafsson & Lei & Chu & Zou, 2020

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Lei, Lujia, Chu, Xingzhi & Zou, Fasheng, 2020, Review of Chinese species of the Oxylipeurus - complex (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae), with descriptions of two new genera and five new species, Zootaxa 4742 (2), pp. 201-255 : 227-229

Megalipeurus sinensis new species

( Figs 17 , 30 , 60–62 , 85 , 90 , 94 )

Type host. Arborophila gingica (Gmelin, 1789) —white-necklaced partridge.

Type locality. South eastern China .

Diagnosis. Only two other species of Megalipeurus have pointed frons: M. unicolor and M. songprakobi . Megalipeurus sinensis is most similar to M. unicolor , based on the shape of the frons (lateral sections of frons concave in both these species, but more or less straight in M. songprakobi ), the long, slender parameres (short in M. songprakobi ), and male tergopleurite VIII being medianly continuous in both species (medianly separate in M. songprakobi ). Megalipeurus sinensis can be separated from M. unicolor by the following characters: frons more narrowly pointed in M. unicolor than in M. sinensis ( Fig. 17 ); proximal margin of mesosome straight with angular lateral ends in M. unicolor , but with median depression separating two rounded lobes in M. sinensis ( Fig. 62 ); distal lobes of mesosome smaller in M. unicolor than in M. sinensis ( Fig. 62 ); gonopore with rhombic medio-anterior structure in M. unicolor , but with flaring triangular structure in M. sinensis .

Description.

Male. Head slender, frons convergent to blunt median point ( Fig. 17 ), lateral margins of preantennal head convergent anteriorly. Marginal carina narrow, interrupted laterally. Dorsal preantennal suture medianly continuous, reaching far lateral to ads. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 17 . Antennae as in Fig. 30 ; without tooth-like projection on scape; no rugose area on flagellomere I. Thoracic and abdominal plates and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 17 . Reticulation weak, limited to lateral ends of tergopleurites. Subgenital plate as in Fig. 85 , stylus short and blunt. Basal apodeme slender ( Fig. 60 ). Anterior margin of mesosome with deep, narrow median depression, separating large, rounded lobes ( Fig. 62 ). Distal mesosomal lobes large, overall shape somewhat square-shaped. Gonopore reaches distal margin of mesosome, with flaring triangular structure just proximal to opening. Parameres about twice as long as mesosome, slender ( Fig. 61 ); parameral heads bifid; pst1 at about half-length of paramere, pst2 apical. Measurements as in Table 1 .

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, China.

Type material. Holotype ♂, S.E. China, Nov. 1897, R. Meinertzhagen , 3598, NHMUK010682553 ( NHML) [specimen closest to label with louse information, marked with red dot on slide] . Paratype ♂, in same slide and with same data as holotype ( NHML) .

Remarks. The head sensillus s2 is not visible in either of the two males of M. sinensis examined, but is present in extralimital specimens of other species, including Megalipeurus tropicoperdix and M. unicolor . Specimens of M. sinensis collected in the future are likely to have head sensillus s2.

Figures

FIGURE 90. Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica. Chaetotaxy of male legs, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 17–18. Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica. 17, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views (legs have been rotated for clarity). 18, ventral view of sternal plates V–VII from single examined male of Sinolipeurus sichuanensis new species. Reticulation of plates not illustrated. Roman numerals denote segment number. Abbreviations: asmns = anterior submarginal meso-metanotal seta; pdas = pronotal dorsal anterior seta; pmls = pronotal marginal-lateral seta; ppss = pronotal post-spiracular seta; psmns = posterior submarginal meso-metanotal seta; pths = pterothoracic trichoid seta; ptrs = pterothoracic thorn-like seta.

FIGURES 29–32. Male antennae. 29, Reticulipeurus ithaginis (Clay, 1938) ex Ithaginis cruentus. 30, Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica. 31, Sinolipeurus tetraophasis (Clay, 1938) ex Tetraophasis obscurus. 32, Sinolipeurus sichuanensis new species ex Tragopan temminckii. All figures drawn to same scale.

FIGURES 57–68. Male genitalia. 57–59, Reticulipeurus ithaginis (Clay, 1938) ex Ithaginis cruentus. 57, full genitalia, dorsal view. 58, paramere, dorsal view. 59, mesosome, ventral view. 60–62, Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica. 60, genitalia, dorsal view. 61, paramere, dorsal view. 62, mesosome, ventral view (the V-shaped sclerite is internal, but here is drawn with complete lines to illustrate shape and structure). 63–65, Sinolipeurus tetraophasis (Clay, 1938) ex Tetraophasis obscurus. 63, genitalia, dorsal view. 64, paramere, dorsal view. 65, mesosome, ventral view. 66–68, Sinolipeurus sichuanensis new species ex Tragopan temminckii. 66, genitalia, dorsal view. 67, paramere, dorsal view. 68, mesosome, ventral view. All figures drawn to same scale. Abbreviations: pst1–2 = parameral setae 1–2.

FIGURES 85–87. Male terminalia, ventral views. 85, Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica. 86, Sinolipeurus tetraophasis (Clay, 1938) ex Tetraophasis obscurus. 87, Sinolipeurus sichuanensis new species ex Tragopan temminckii.

FIGURES 92–95. Male dorsal temporal chaetotaxy. 92, Cataphractomimus mirapelta new species ex Lophophorus lhuysii. 93, Reticulipeurus robustus (Rudow, 1869) ex Lophura nycthemera. 94, Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica. 95, Sinolipeurus tetraophasis (Clay, 1938) ex Tetraophasis obscurus. Reticulation, antennae, coni, nodi, and carinae omitted for clarity. Exact position and size of setae differ slightly among species in each genus. Abbreviations: mts1–5 = marginal temporal setae 1–5; os = ocular setae; pas = preantennal seta; pns = post-nodal seta; pos = pre-ocular seta; pts = posttemporal seta; s1–7 = sensilla 1–7. Figures drawn at different scales.