Bobdalgleishia Valim & Cicchino

Valim, Michel P. & Cicchino, Armando C., 2015, A remarkable new genus and a new species of chewing louse (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera, Philopteridae) from Brazil, ZooKeys 541, pp. 57-70 : 58-60

Taxon classification Animalia Phthiraptera Philopteridae

Bobdalgleishia Valim & Cicchino gen. n.

Type species.

Bobdalgleishia stephanophallus Valim & Cicchino, sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Bobdalgleishia is morphologically close to Motmotnirmus (from Momotidae hosts), being the only members of the Brueelia -complex with mts2 very long (subequal to mts3) on the temporal margin, and with sternal segments II–VI lacking sclerotization and with more than one pair of setae. All other genera of this complex have only the mts3 very long and the sternites usually bear one pair of setae each. However, both sexes of Bobdalgleishia can be distinguished from those of Motmotnirmus , as well as from those of all other genera of the Brueelia -complex, by having os and mts1-3 very long, and postspiracular present on segment II. In both sexes of Motmotnirmus only mts2 and mts3 are very long, the os and mts1 are very short (see Fig. 3D), and postspiracular seta is absent on tergite II. Furthermore, males are different in the shape of the parameres (triangular and flattened in Motmotnirmus ), by a tubiform mesosome (short and compact in Motmotnirmus , see Fig. 3E), and a gonopore with a distinct crown with indentations (gonopore without crown in Motmotnirmus , see Fig. 3E). In females, tergites XI are fused with IX+X (in Motmotnirmus they are separated), and each gonaphophysis has only one spine-like seta (Fic. 3C) (a patch of 3-4 thin setae in Motmotnirmus , as in Fig. 3F). Females of species of Paragoniocotes also have setae on the gonapophyses, but more than one each side, in addition to having os and mts1-2 very short. Lastly, a very long ocular seta (os) is also found in one species of Rostrinirmus Złotorzycka, 1964 (not recognized as valid by Price et al. 2003, Valim and Palma 2015) but, as in most other members of the Brueelia -complex, they have very short mts1-2.

Bobdalgleishia is distinct from the type species of Brueelia sensu stricto at first glance by (1) the as2, as3 and dsms set on the hyaline margin, not on the sclerotised portion of the head; (2) presence of as3; (3) os and mts1-2 are macrochaeta. Furthermore, the type species of Bobdalgleishia is the only member of the Brueelia -complex having, in both sexes, (1) four long setae on the temple margin: os and mts1-3; (2) pos short and set on eye lens; (3) one pair of anterior setae on tergite II; and (4) sterna II–VI with more than one pair of setae and lacking sclerotized plates. In addition, females lack the cross-piece on the vulvar margin, and their tergite XI is fused with IX+X.

Description.

Both sexes.Head: Antennal scape and flagellomeres not enlarged; preantennal region short and tapered, conspicuously symmetric (Figs 1-2, 3A) and antennae monomorphic; anterior dorsal head plate indicated only by its anterolateral angles, but basically fused on its lateral and posterior portions with the head’s roof. Marginal carina medially divided and without lateral interruption; hyaline margin present, reaching only the distal portion of anterior dorsal head plate (ADHP), and set between anterior setae (as2) and widely anterior to ADHP. Dorsal setae: ads short and set on dorsal sclerotized surface; dsms medium-long and arising from preantennal suture which divides the marginal carina with discrete lateral division. Except for dsms medium-long, all other anterior setae short. Anterior setae 2 (as2) and as3 present and set on hyaline margin. Ventral anterior head plate indistinct, ventral carina interrupted medially and fused anteriorly on each side with the marginal carina; each half of the ventral carina entirely sclerotized and with flattened lobes to attachment of pulvinus. Ocular setae (os) very long, pos very short and set more ventrally on ocular lens. Tem poral carina not developed and postantennal region without sutures; both postnodal seta (pns) and post-temporal seta (pts) present and short, but never sensilliform. Head sensilla present (s1-s5), each bearing a much reduced seta, and s5 set closer to s3-s4 than to pns. Presence of s5 is not regular and bilateral in all studied specimens, it maybe a duplication of s4. Marginal temporal setae 1-3 (mts1-3) very long, and mts4-5 very short (Fig. 3A). Occipital carina present, weakly sclerotized. Gular plate roughly rhombic in shape and well sclerotized (Figs 1-2, 3A).

Thorax: As in Figs 1-2. Prothorax roughly rectangular, with rounded lateral sides and posterior margin nearly straight, with one pair of long prothoracic postspiracular setae (ppss). Pterothorax without signs of division between meso- and metathorax, with one ventral spine-like, and one dorsal trichoid, and circa of seven setae on each side of its posterior margin. Legs without distinctive features, except for the thickened dorsal incrassation of the legs II and III, thicker on femurs and with irregular inner border.

Abdomen: Similar in both sexes (Figs 1-2); tergite II (actually I+II) with one long pair of anterior setae (reminiscent of those from tergite I); postspiracular setae present on II–VII; without accessory to postspiracular seta; pleural setae present on IV–VIII; and sutural and innermost setae present each side on tergites II–VII. Sternites II–VI with more than two pairs of setae each. Porotaxy: sensilla present on tergites II–V.

Male. Antennal scape and flageromeres not enlarged, as in females. Subgenital plate faintly delimited and with two pairs of setae at level of sternite VII. Tergal plates IX+X fused, distinct and medially divided, tergite XI indistinct or non-sclerotized. Genitalia as in Fig. 3B, see detailed description below.

Female. Subgenital plate smooth (Fig. 3C), lacking any sclerotization on distal vulvar margin (the "cross piece" of Ansari 1956), posterior end nearly rectangular; with three pairs of setae at level of sternite VII. Tergites XI fused with IX+X, forming a single IX–XI last segment (Figs 2B, 3C).

Etymology.

Named in honor to the late and personal friend Robert [Bob] C. Dalgleish (1940-2009) for his special disposition to listen and learn from those who disagree with him on taxonomic issues. Bob was an example of how a taxonomist might make a huge contribution in a relatively short period of time, less than ten years in his second life period of “lousying” with us (his first was during 1966-1972). It is a noun in the singular genitive, masculine.