Philopterus petrescuae Adam

Sychra, Oldrich, Palma, Ricardo L., Saxena, Arun K., Ahmad, Aftab, Bansal, Nayanci & Adam, Costică, 2011, Chewing lice of the genus Philopterus (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) from drongos (Passeriformes: Dicruridae), Zootaxa 2868, pp. 51-61 : 56-58

Philopterus petrescuae Adam , sp. nov.

( Figs. 23–31 , 34 )

Type host: Dicrurus hottentottus (Linnaeus) —Hair-crested drongo.

Male (n = 2). As in Fig. 34 . Head: Coni short (0.054–0.056) and curved upwards ( Figs. 27–28 ). Dorsal anterior head plate as in Fig. 30 ; ventral anterior head plate with narrow posterior margin. Anterior seta 3 (see Clay 1951) stout and relatively long (0.094–0.102). Anterior seta 1 (preconal seta of Price & Hellenthal 1998) short (0.017–0.019 in length). Postconal seta short (0.017–0.019 long). Dorsal submarginal seta very short, only 0.010– 0.015 long ( Fig. 24 ). Thorax: Pterothorax with 18–20 posterior setae. Abdomen: Abdominal chaetotaxy: tergal setae: II, 10 (plus anterior pair); III, 10–11; IV, 9–12; V, 11–12; VI, 12; VII, 11; VIII, 11; IX, 2; sternal setae: II, 7– 9; III–V, 9; VI, 8; subgenital plate as in Fig. 25 with 4 long setae (paratype male has two additional shorter setae; we consider this an abnormality); pleural (paratergal) setae: II–III, 0; IV–V, 3; VI–VII, 4; VIII, 3; IX, 1. Lateral sternites on III–VI 0.026–0.046 wide ( Figs. 23, 25 ). Genitalia ( Fig. 29 ) with short and stout parameres fused with the basal plate; endomeral plate simple with pointed posterior margin, mesomere with two rounded distal projections not overlapping the posterior margin of the endomeral plate.

Dimensions: FW, 0.24–0.25; FHMW, 0.29–0.30; HMI, 1.20–1.21; PAW, 0.35–0.36; TW, 0.48–0.50; HL, 0.54– 0.56; PAL, 0.31; LHCL, 0.11; DAPL, 0.28; DAPW, 0.14–0.15; PW, 0.30; MW, 0.41–0.42; AWV, 0.64–0.68; SGPW, 0.35; TL, 1.55–1.66; GL, 0.29; GW, 0.10.

Female (n = 2). Most features as in male. Pterothorax with 15–17 posterior setae. Abdominal chaetotaxy ( Fig. 23 ): tergal setae: II, 11 (plus anterior pair); III, 12–14; IV, 13–15; V, 15–17; VI, 13–15; VII, 12–14; VIII, 10; IX, 4; sternal setae: II, 7; III–IV, 8–9; V, 9–10; VI, 8–11; subgenital plate as in Fig. 26 with 4 long setae (one paratype female has one additional seta; we consider this an abnormality); vulva with 14–16 medium long and 6–9 short setae ( Fig. 26 ).

Dimensions: FW, 0.25; FHMW, 0.30–0.31; HMI, 1.20–1.24; PAW, 0.37; TW, 0.53–0.56; HL, 0.57–0.62; PAL, 0.32; LHCL, 0.11–0.12; DAPL, 0.30–0.31; DAPW, 0.15–0.16; PW, 0.33; MW, 0.45–0.46; AWV, 0.72–0.81; SGPW, 0.38–0.40; TL, 1.90–1.99.

Type material. Holotype male ex Dicrurus hottentottus (Linnaeus) , INDONESIA: Bunaken Island (NE Sulawesi), 15.IV.1991, A. Petrescu & C. Adam coll. Deposited in “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History (slide ISC 258). Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females with same data as holotype. Deposited in “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History (slides ISC 258 and ISC 259).

Remarks. Both sexes of P. petrescuae sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. trabecula and P. kalkalichi by a unique combination of characters, as follows: (1) dorsal submarginal seta very short, under 0.02 long ( Fig. 24 ); (2) female with great number of tergal setae on segments III, V and VI; (3) female with great number of sternal setae on segments II, III and V; (4) three pleural setae on segments IV–V and four on segments VI–VII; (5) small lateral sternites on abdominal segment VI ( Fig. 23 ); (6) male genitalia shape, especially the mesomere ( Fig. 29 ); (7) shape of male subgenital plate ( Fig. 25 ); (8) greater dimensions overall.

Seven nymphs were also collected from the bird which harboured the holotype and paratypes, but they are not included in the type series. The presence of nymphs shows that P. petrescuae has bred on the host.

Etymology. This species is named after Dr Angela Petrescu (“Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History, Bucharest, Romania) for her contribution in collecting the type series.

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 30. Philopterus petrescuae: 23 — female, dorso-ventral view; 24 — male head, dorso-ventral view; 25 — male sternites VI and subgenital plate; 26 — female sternites VI and subgenital plate; 27 — male conus (slide ISC 258); 28 — female conus (slide ISC 258); 29 — male genitalia; 30 — dorsal anterior head plate. Scales: 0.5 mm (Figs. 23 – 24), 0.3 mm (Figs. 25 – 26, 29), 0.2 mm (Fig. 30), 0.05 mm (Figs. 27 – 28).

FIGURES 31 – 32. Male, dorso-anterior part of head (including hyaline margin): 31 — Philopterus petrescuae; 32 — Philopterus

FIGURES 33 – 34. 33 — female lectotype of Philopterus trabecula; 34 — male holotype of Philopterus petrescuae.