Lunaceps superciliosus, Gustafsson & Olsson, 2012

Gustafsson, Daniel R. & Olsson, Urban, 2012, 3377, Zootaxa 3377, pp. 1-85 : 71-73

Lunaceps superciliosus sp. nov.

( Fig. 29a–d; Table 1)

Lunaceps sp. [ex Calidris acuminata ] Palma, 1999: 380

Lunaceps incoenis (Kellogg and Chapman) ; Price et al., 2003: 196 (partim)

Lunaceps incoenis (Kellogg and Chapman) (“Clade 3”); Gustafsson and Olsson (2012): 94 ( Figs. 1, 2)

Lunaceps sp. ex Calidris subminuta (“Clade 3”); Gustafsson and Olsson (2012): 94 ( Figs. 1, 2)

Type host: Calidris acuminata ( Horsfield, 1821)

Other host: Calidris subminuta ( Middendorff, 1853)

Diagnosis: Head elongated ( Fig. 29a). Marginal carina weakly coloured anterior to DSMS. Dorsal preantennal suture broad, enveloping the apertures of the ADS. Lateral nodi small or non-existent. Ventral anterior plate triangular. AVS3 anterior to AVS2, but both posterior to ADS. In many males, a short, narrow suture arises from near PNS and goes medially and posteriorly. This character is generally missing in material from C. subminuta .

Male paratergal plates of segments IV–VI relatively broad and of equal width except posterior fourth ( Fig. 29b). Re-entrant heads long and broad. Tergal bars quite narrow.

Female genital lobes with 5 posterior marginal setae, 4 sub-marginal setae, and 6 median marginal setae ( Fig. 29c). Parameres slender with small aperture at distal third. Basal apodeme narrow, and apodemal bridge not clearly defined anteriorly ( Fig. 29d). Apodemal triangle weakly coloured.

Discussion: Lunaceps superciliosus is genetically distinct ( Gustafsson and Olsson, 2012), but often virtually impossible to separate from L. incoenis and L. falcinellus on morphological characters. The small dorsal suture arising near the PNS is unique within Lunaceps , but is not reliable, as it is missing in material from C. subminuta and in all females, and is difficult to see in many males collected from C. acuminata . The tergal re-entrant heads are generally longer and most distinct in L. superciliosus than in the other two species, but there is as always some variation. The head shape approaches that of L. rothkoi , but tapers markedly anterior to the antennae. The pronounced re-entrant tergal heads, as well as the shape of the dorsal preantennal suture, easily separates it from L. holophaeus .

We separate this species primarily based on genetic data and the presence of the small suture near the PNS on some males examined. A larger series of specimens may reveal further diagnostic characters. No significant differences have been found between the material from the two host species.

Etymology: From supercilium = eyebrow. Refers to the two small sutures near the PNS, which are reminiscent of eyebrows, and unique within the genus.

Material examined:

Ex Calidris acuminata

Holotype: ♂ 1, New Zealand: Kermadec Islands : Raoul Island, 17 October 1982, M. Fraser ( MONZ).

Paratypes: ♀ 9, ♂ 11, New Zealand: Kermadec Islands : Raoul Island, 17 October 1982, M. Fraser ( MONZ) .

Non-types: ♀ 1, New Zealand: Lake Ellesmore , January 1929, E. F. Stead, C Mu Av 4596, R. C. L. Pilgrim Collection ( MONZ) . ♀ 8, ♂ 4, Papua New Guinea: Western District: Wando , October 1969, I.L. Owen 691014/12c, Brit Mus. 1970-381 ( NHML) . ♀ 2, ♂ 1, Papua New Guinea: Western District: Wando , October 1969, I.L. Owen 691016/17b, Brit Mus. 1970-381 ( NHML) . ♂ 1, Papua New Guinea: Western District: Wando , October 1969, I.L. Owen 691014/16b, Brit Mus. 1970-381, ( NHML) . ♀ 1, Japan: Miyagi Prefecture: Sendai: Watari: Tori-no-Umi , 26 October 2008, ID: 784a-1, Band number: 4A20704, YIO-P-01166, D. Gustafsson ( YIO) . ♀ 1, Australia: Western Australia: 80 Mile Beach, Near Anna Plain Cattle Station , 15 November 2008, ID: 871a-1, Band number: 042- 61414, D. Gustafsson ( SMNH) .

Ex Calidris subminuta

♀ 1, Australia: Western Australia: Broome Area: Lake Eda , 23 November 2008, ID: 1451a-1, Band number: 036-48094, D. Gustafsson ( SMNH) . ♀ 1, Australia: Western Australia: Broome Area: Lake Eda , 23 November 2008, ID: 1451a-2, Band number: 036-48094, D. Gustafsson ( GNM) . ♀ 1, Australia: Western Australia: Broome Area: Lake Eda , 23 November 2008, ID: 966a-1, Band number: 036-48095, YIO-P-01167, D. Gustafsson ( YIO) .