Myrsidea suthorae Lei, Chu, Dik, Zou, Wang & Gustafsson, 2020

Lei, Lujia, Chu, Xingzhi, Dik, Bilal, Zou, Fasheng, Wang, Haitao & Gustafsson, Daniel R., 2020, Four new species of Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae) from Chinese babblers (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae, Paradoxornithidae, Timaliidae), Zootaxa 4878 (1), pp. 103-128 : 120-122

Myrsidea suthorae Lei, Chu, Dik, Zou, Wang & Gustafsson , new species

( Figs 7 , 11 , 18–19 )

Myrsidea sp. 11; Chu et al. 2019: 338.

Type host: Suthora verreauxi verreuaxi Sharpe, 1883 – golden parrotbill ( Paradoxornithidae ).

Type locality: Laojunshan , Pingshan County, Sichuan Province, China .

Diagnosis. Males of Myrsidea suthorae key to couplet 6 in the key of Tandan (1972), but it does not fit any of the two given options. One is M. singularis , but M. suthorae differs by the shape of its unique genital sclerite, and by a proportionately broader genitalia than M. singularis (see Fig. 11 and fig. 53 in Tandan 1972); however, the abdominal chaetotaxy of these two species is very similar and may entirely overlap. The second option in couplet 6 leads to M. sikkimensis Tandan, 1972 , M. sehri Ansari, 1951 and M. erythrocephali ; however, these three species have no more than 4 setae on tergum I, whereas M. suthorae has at least 8. Moreover, M. suthorae can be separated from all these species by the presence of 2 setae on sternite II in M. suthorae (absent in the other species), and the presence in M. suthorae of 8–9 inner posterior setae on tergum IX (only 2 inner posterior setae in the other species).

Description. Male (n=3). Habitus as in Fig. 18 and head shape as in Fig. 19 . Setal measurements: dhs10 = 0.044 –0.056; dhs11 = 0.081 –0.104; ratio dhs10/11 = 0.44–0.64; ls5 = 0.045 –0.062. Ventrolateral fringe with 9–10 setae. Gular plate with 5–6 setae on each side. Hypopharynx reduced as in Fig. 7 . First tibia with 3 outer lateral ventral and 2–3 dorsal setae. Metanotum with posterior margin straight, with 8–9 setae on posterior margin. Metasternal plate with 7 setae. Femoral brush with 13–15 setae. Metanotum and abdomen as in Fig. 18 . Posterior margin of tergites straight, with setal rows interrupted by median gap in at least segments III–IV. Anterior tergal setae absent. Tergal setae: I, 8–9; II, 10–11; III, 10–12; IV, 10–11; V, 10–13; VI, 10–12; VII, 10–12; VIII, 6–8; 8–9 inner posterior setae present on segment IX. Anterior sternal setae present on sterna II–VI. Sternal setae: I, 2; II, each aster of 3 setae, posterior margin with 11–12 setae, and anteriorly with 6 setae; III, 14 (0–2); IV, 18–21 (15–19); V, 21–22 (16–20); VI, 20–21 (16–19); VII, 13–15 (16–22); VIII–IX, 29–33. Anus with 7–9 internal setae on ventral side and 3–4 on dorsal side. Anterior pleural setae absent. More median pleural setae on ventral side very long and slender on segments V–VII, similar to or longer than setae of setal brushes on same segments. Pleural setae: I, 4–5; II, 5–6; III, 6–7; IV, 6; V, 5–6; VI, 4–6; VII, 3–4; VIII, 3. Genitalia and genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 11 . Measurements as in Table 3 .

Female. Unknown.

Type material: Holotype ♂, Laojunshan , Pingshan County, Sichuan Province, China, 10 Aug. 2014, Y. Zhao, Y. Zhang, X. Chu, W. Li, bird J2252, GD-PHTH-00055 ( GIABR) . Paratypes: 1♂, same data as holotype, GD- PHTH-00054 ( GIABR) . 1♂, same locality and collector as holotype, 7 Aug. 2014, bird J2195, GD-PHTH-00053 ( GIABR) .

Non-type specimens: 3 nymphs, same data as holotype, GD-PHTH-00054–55 ( GIABR) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the genus of the type host.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Myrsidea suthorae n. sp., male habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURE 19. Myrsidea suthorae n. sp., male head, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 4–7. Hypopharyngeal sclerites. 4, Myrsidea attenuata n. sp. 5, Myrsidea zhangae n. sp. 6, Myrsidea liopari n. sp. 7, Myrsidea suthorae n. sp. All illustrations drawn from male specimens, and to same scale.

FIGURES 8–11. Male genitalia, dorsal and ventral views. 8, Myrsidea attenuata n. sp. 9, Myrsidea zhangae n. sp. 10, Myrsidea liopari n. sp. 11, Myrsidea suthorae n. sp.