Lunaceps limosella Timmermann, 1954

Gustafsson, Daniel R. & Olsson, Urban, 2012, 3377, Zootaxa 3377, pp. 1-85 : 42-45

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann, 1954

( Fig. 17a–d; Table 1)

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann, 1954a: 629 (partim)

Lunaceps limosella limosella Timmermann ; Emerson, 1972: 94

Lunaceps limosella limosella Timmermann ; Eichler and Hackman, 1973: 92

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Ledger, 1980: 169 (partim)

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann [ex Limosa lapponica baueri ]; Pilgrim and Palma, 1982: 21

Lunaceps limosella Timmermann ; Price et al., 2003: 196 (partim)

Type host: Limosa lapponica lapponica ( Linnaeus, 1758)

Other hosts: Limosa lapponica menzbieri Portenko, 1936 , Limosa lapponica baueri J. F. Naumann, 1836

Diagnosis: Marginal carina narrow and sometimes transparent anteriorly ( Fig. 17a). Dorsal preantennal suture continuous across the head. Ventral anterior plate small and triangular. Lateral nodi small. Dark preantennal band very narrow and faint. AVS3 and AVS2 more or less aligned, but both posterior to ADS.

Abdominal tergites II–III in both sexes with wedge-shaped median indentation of the anterior margin, reaching more than a third of the tergite width. Paratergal plates broad and roughly rectangular. Tergal heads broad and blunt, with short bars ( Fig. 17b).

Female genital lobes with 6 posterior marginal setae, 5 sub-marginal setae, and 6 median marginal setae ( Fig. 17c). Parameres gently curved ( Fig. 17d). Lower endomere small. The mesomere plump, with blunt and wide distal ends and curved lateral edges. Dorsal fingers extend anteriorly to ventral blades. The apodemal bridge is weakly delineated and no connection between the apodemal bridge and the lower endomere visible.

Discussion: Lunaceps limosella can be differentiated from L. paschalis and L. limosae by the presence of a dorsal preantennal suture. Further separated from all other species parasitic on Limosa spp. by the male genitalia being relatively shorter and stouter, and with a much smaller lower endomere. The genitalia of L. limosella are more similar to Lunaceps species from Calidris spp. , but are easily separated from Lunaceps on Calidris sp. by size and by the number of female genital setae (although some L. drosti have the same number).

Most similar to L. limosae , with which it was previously considered conspecific ( Price et al., 2003), but it differs in the shape and size of the male genitalia, the number of female posterior marginal setae, and the presence of a median wedge-shaped indentation in the anterior margin of male tergite III. In general, L. limosella is wide in the abdomen and its head is rounder than in L. limosae .

Material from L. lapponica menzbieri is slightly different from that from nominate subspecies and from L. l. baueri, with a more oblong head, more clearly defined marginal carina, and with AVS2 far anterior to AVS3 (even aligned with ADS in one specimen). However, too few specimens from L. l. menzbieri are available to draw any conclusions about their status.

Etymology: From limus = mud, and - ella = small. A reference to the host name Limosa , which can often be found on mudflats.

Material examined:

Ex Limosa lapponica

Paratypes: ♀ 19, ♂ 9, United Kingdom: Scotland: Ross-shire , Oct. 1935, Meinertzhagen Collection 4352 ( NHML) . ♀ 2, ♂ 1, United Kingdom: Scotland: Hebrides: South Uist , Jan. 1935, Meinertzhagen Collection 2742 ( NHML) . ♀ 2, United Kingdom: England: Norfolk, Dec. 1934, Meinertzhagen Collection 2294 ( NHML). n#2, United Kingdom: England: Norfolk, Jan. 1946, Meinertzhagen Collection 15560 ( NHML) . ♀ 7, ♂ 5, United Kingdom: Scotland: Hebrides: North Uist , Sept. 1941, Meinertzhagen Collection 14631 ( NHML) . ♀ 26, ♂ 18, United Kingdom: Scotland: Hebrides: North Uist , Sept. 1941, Meinertzhagen Collection 14662 ( NHML) (slide also contains a Carduiceps ) . ♀ 22, ♂ 12, United Kingdom: Scotland: Hebrides: North Uist , Sept. 1941, Meinertzhagen Collection 14660 ( NHML) .

Non-type: ♀ 1, ♂ 3, The Netherlands: Vlieland, 12 September 1972, E. van den Broek, collection 1973-561 ( NHML). ♀ 1, ♂ 1, United Kingdom: Wales: Bardsey Island , 3September 1957, A. Comber, BM 1958-149 ( NHML). ♂ 1, United Kingdom: England: Cheshire: Mersey Estuary, 22 September 1934, H. Bostock ( NHML). ♀ 1, ♂ 1, United Kingdom: Wales: Glamorganshire: Aberthaw, 7 September 1935, J. G. Williams, BM 1980-40 , at NHML. ♂ 3, United Kingdom: England: Kent: New Romney , 19 September 1889, Col. Irby, J. Waterston Collection BM 1930-232 ( NHML). ♂ 1, United Kingdom: Scotland: Aberlady, 23 September 1911, Ogilvie for H.M., J. Waterston Collection, BM 1930-232 ( NHML). ♀ 8, ♂ 2, United Kingdom: England: Sussex: Pagham, 4 September 1869, Alfred Grant, J. Waterston Collection, BM 1930-232 ( NHML). ♀ 1, ♂ 1, Poland: Near Swinoujscie: [Gmina] Miydzyrdroje, 26 September 1961, E. Woik, 42/m/126 and 42/m/174 ( MFN). ♀ 1, [Collection data not given on slide], 7824c ( MFN) [Note: a second slide, 7824b, contains the head of what appear to be a Lunaceps , but the body is missing and the head is in the mounting medium outside the cover slide, and cannot be correctly identified] .

Ex Limosa lapponica baueri

♀ 9, ♂ 9, New Zealand: Greymouth , 21 October 1973, W. Pulley, R . L.C. Pilgrim collection ( MONZ) . ♀ 5, ♂ 5, New Zealand: Kaikoura , 22 October 1973, C. J. Horning, R . L.C. Pilgrim collection ( MONZ) . ♀ 2, ♂ 2, New Zealand: Heathcote Estuary , October 18th 1973, F. R . B. Allison, R. L.C. Pilgrim collection ( MONZ) . ♀ 3, ♂ 2, New Zealand: Campbell Island , 8 January 1961, J. M. Moreland ( MONZ) . ♀ 1, ♂ 1, New Zealand: Campbell Island , 8 January 1961, J. M. Moreland, BM 1963-502 ( NHML) . ♀ 3, ♂ 3, New Zealand: South Brighton , 20 December 1962, CU #935, N. C. A. S., R . C. L. Pilgrim collection ( MONZ) . ♀ 1, United States: California, Meinertzhagen Collection 12715 ( NHML) . ♀ 1, Australia: New South Wales: Wollongong , 6 January 1968, J. McKean, BM1975- 80 ( NHML) .

Ex Limosa lapponica menzbieri ♀ 1, ♂ 2, Australia: Western Australia: Broome , 28 September 1998, P. F. Battley ( MONZ) .