Lunaceps lissmanni Timmermann, 1954

Gustafsson, Daniel R. & Olsson, Urban, 2012, 3377, Zootaxa 3377, pp. 1-85 : 45-47

Lunaceps lissmanni Timmermann, 1954

( Fig. 18a–d; Table 1)

Lunaceps lissmanni Timmermann, 1954a: 634

Lunaceps numenii lissmanni Timmermann ; Price et al., 2003: 196

Type host: Numenius minutus Gould, 1841

Diagnosis: Head very elongated, with marked concave posterior margin ( Fig. 18a). Hyaline margin broad. Marginal carina interrupted laterally where the dorsal preantennal suture reached the side of the head. Anteriorly, the marginal carina is present only between the AS 1 and AS 2. A thickening associated with the middle of the ventral anterior plate may be part of marginal carina, but is weak and ill-defined. Ventral anterior plate long and broad, with irregular posterior margin. Dorsal preantennal suture broad and may be interrupted medially. AVS2 and AVS3 aligned, in males also aligned with ADS, but markedly posterior to this in females. Marginal temporal carina very broad, particularly in anterior end. MTS1, MTS4 and MTS5 quite slender, not thorn-like.

Posterior margin of pterothorax with median point, with the two halves concave ( Fig. 18b).

All abdominal setae very stout and long ( Fig. 18b). Setal arrangement very distinct in both sexes, with two pairs of ventral setae on segments IV–V and VII (sometimes also in III) in males, and an extra submedian pair of ventral setae in the female segment VI. Anterior margin of segments II–III in males and II–IV in females with narrow wedge-shaped median indentation. Antero-lateral ends of tergites broadly pointed in segments III–VI, without tergal heads. Sublateral indentation missing in segment III, narrow in segment IV, and broad in segments V–VII. Paratergal plates broad. Sternite of segment II very broad posteriorly, sometimes reaching the lateral margins of the abdomen.

Female genital lobes rounded with 8–9 posterior marginal setae, 8–10 sub-marginal setae, and 7–8 median marginal setae ( Fig. 18c). The inner three sub-marginal setae are typically smaller than the others, and not thornlike, as are the outer ones. Parameres with abrupt turn about one third from distal tip, ends roughly parallel, and parameral heads elongated and almost triangular ( Fig. 18d). One ventral aperture visible in distal fourth of paramere. Mesomere with bulging lateral sides and an elongated distal end. Dorsal fingers stout, and divergent anteriorly, forming small hooks. Lower endomere broad and semicircular, connected to apodemal bridge by narrow triangle.

Discussion: Lunaceps lissmanni is a very distinct species, separable from other Lunaceps by a large array of characters. It is most similar to L. rileyi , with which it shares extra abdominal setae, but L. rileyi is broader and shorter. Also the parameres of L. rileyi are not as abruptly bent as those of L. lissmanni , and the mesomeral lateral margins are less straight in L. rileyi . Females of these two species are more similar, having similar numbers of genital setae, but can be separated by the shape of the head, which is generally longer and narrower anteriorly in L. lissmanni . Both sexes can be separated by the broad dorsal preantennal suture of L. lissmanni , which is narrow and sometimes hard to see in L. rileyi , and by the shape of the pterothorax. The hosts of L. lissmanni and: l rileyi appear to be closely related ( Thomas et al., 2004a), and this suggests that the lice also might be closely related.

L. lissmanni can be separated from other Lunaceps species by its additional abdominal setae and the shape of the pterothorax. The male genitalia are quite unique in shape, particularly the parameres, and the female genital setal numbers, especially the sub-marginal and median marginal setae, place it apart from other species.

Etymology: Named in honour of Hans Werner Lissman (1909–1995) at the University of Cambridge, England.

Material examined:

Ex Numenius minutus

Holotype: ♂ 1, Russia: Siberia , Meinertzhagen Collection 11015 ( NHML).

Allotype: ♀ 1, Russia: Siberia , Meinertzhagen Collection 11015 ( NHML).

Paratypes: ♀ 11, ♂ 6, Russia: Siberia , Meinertzhagen Collection (11015) ( NHML) .

Non-types: ♀ 11, ♂ 8, Australia: Western Australia: Broome , 26 October 1999 ( MONZ) . ♂ 3, Far East , BM 8943 ( NHML) . ♀ 1, Papua New Guinea: Western District: Near Wando , 16 October 1969, BM 1970-381 ( NHML) .