Myrsidea valimi Price and Johnson

Price, Roger D. & Johnson, Kevin P., 2009, Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) in Panama, Zootaxa 2200, pp. 61-68 : 65-67

Myrsidea valimi Price and Johnson , new species

(Figs. 5, 6)

Type host. Euphonia anneae Cassin , the Tawny-capped Euphonia .

Female (3). Gula with 4, sometimes 3, setae on each side. Metanotum and dorsal abdomen as in Fig. 5. Metanotum not enlarged, posterior margin with 9 setae; metasternal plate with 6 setae. Tergites all of essentially similar size, with II-IV having very slight convexity. Tergal setae: I, 12–13; II, 16; III, 17–18; IV, 15–17; V–VI, 13–16; VII, 12–14; VIII, 9–13. Postspiracular setae extremely long on II, IV, and VIII (>0.35 long), considerably shorter on I, III, V, and VI (<0.20 long), and intermediate between these in length on VII. Sternal setae: II, 4 in each aster, 13–15 marginal between asters, 10–12 anterior; III, 23–25; IV, 23–28; V, 29– 31; VI, 21–24; VII, 12–13; VIII–IX, 15–18. Anus with 25–34 setae in each ventral and dorsal fringe. Dimensions: TW, 0.40–0.41; HL, 0.28–0.29; PW, 0.26–0.28; MW, 0.38–0.41; AWIV, 0.49–0.55; ANW, 0.17– 0.18; TL, 1.34–1.41.

Male (3). Metanotal posterior margin with 8–10 setae; metasternal plate with 6 setae. Tergal setae: I, 12– 14; II–VI, 12–18; VII–VIII, 10–13. Postspiracular setae as for female. Sternal setae: II, 3, less often 4, in each aster, 11–12 marginal between asters, 9–10 anterior; III, 19–20; IV–VI, 21–25; VII, 12–13; VIII, 5–7. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 6, broadly triangular with blunt rounded apical tip. Dimensions: TW, 0.36–0.39; HL & PW, 0.26–0.28; MW, 0.34–0.35; AWIV, 0.39–0.44; GL, 0.38–0.39; TL, 1.13–1.16.

Type material. Holotype female, ex E. anneae , PANAMA: Fortuna, 27 Feb 2006, JMD 840, K Johnson. Paratypes: 1 female, 2 males, same data as holotype; 1 female, 1 male, same except Palo Seco, 23 Feb 2006, GMS 2008.

Remarks. The female of this species keys close to M. venustae Price and Dalgleish and M. diglossae Price and Dalgleish in couplets 19 and 20, respectively, while the male keys only to the latter species in couplet 16, probably limited to that because the male of M. venustae is still unknown. The female of M. valimi is separated from both of these other species by having fewer tergal and sternal setae than M. diglossae and more in those positions than M. venustae . The male of M. valimi also has fewer tergal and sternal setae on most segments than does M. diglossae .

Etymology. This species is named for Michel P. Valim, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in recognition of his deep interest in the taxonomy of the chewing lice and his past and anticipated future contributions to the subject.