Brueelia hermetica, Gustafsson & Najer & Zou & Bush, 2022

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Najer, Tomas, Zou, Fasheng & Bush, Sarah E., 2022, The ischnoceran chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) of bulbuls (Aves: Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae), with descriptions of 18 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 800, pp. 1-88 : 36-38

Brueelia hermetica sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:77AEF596-6D93-4B3C-8D65-54ECAFD28188

Figs 57–63

Diagnosis

Brueelia hermetica sp. nov. is one of only two species in the Br. alophoixi species group in which males lack ps on abdominal segment IV, the other being Br. robertrankini sp. nov. These two species can be separated by the following characters: male tergopleurite V with ss and aps in B. robertrankini sp. nov. ( Fig. 64 ), but without these setae in Br. hermetica sp. nov. ( Fig. 57 ); male tergopleurite VIII with tps in Br. hermetica sp. nov. ( Fig. 57 ), but without tps in Br. robertrankini sp. nov. ( Fig. 64 ); head of Br. hermetica sp. nov. flat dome-shaped ( Fig. 57 ), but that of Br. robertrankini sp. nov. rounded pentagonal ( Fig. 66 ); proximal mesosome, mesosomal lobes, and gonopore of different shapes ( Figs 62 , 69 ); parameres proportionately much longer in Br. robertrankini sp. nov. ( Fig. 68 ) than in Br. hermetica sp. nov. ( Fig. 61 ); female abdominal segment VII with 2 ps on each side in Br. robertrankini sp. nov. ( Fig. 65 ), but with only 1 ps on each side in Br. hermetica sp. nov. ( Fig. 58 ); female subgenital plate and vulval margin of different shape in the two species ( Figs 63 , 70 ; note that parts of the subgenital plate of Br. hermetica sp. nov. are very poorly sclerotized in examined specimens, and here illustrated approximately).

Etymology

The species epithet is in reference to the similarity in shape between the head and the proximal mesosome, in correspondence with the Hermetic maxim ‘as above, so below’. The name is ultimately derived from Hermes, the Greek herald and messenger of the gods, the namesake of Hermes Trismegistus, the thricegreatest Hermes, who is the purported author of the Emerald Tablets in which this maxim is inscribed.

Material examined

Holotype (ex Pycnonotus barbatus layardi) SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Transvaal , Pretoria; 2 Aug. 1969; Brit. Mus. 1972–19; NHML.

Paratypes SOUTH AFRICA • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; NHML .

Type host

Pycnonotus barbatus layardi Gurney, 1879 – common bulbul.

Description

Both sexes

Head flat dome-shaped ( Fig. 59 ), lateral margins of preantennal area convex, frons rounded to slightly flattened. Marginal carina of moderate, uneven, width, deeply displaced but not widened at osculum. Ventral anterior plate not visible. Ventral carinae with small median ‘thumbs’ near anterior end of pulvinus. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 59 ; pos situated behind eye. Preantennal nodi moderate, bulging. Pre- and postocular nodi of similar size. Marginal temporal carina of moderate, uneven, width. Gular plate lanceolate. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in Figs 57–58 . Base pigmentation translucent; marginal and marginal temporal carina, head nodi, anterior margins of antennal sockets, proepimera, metepisterna, and lateral margins of tergopleurites medium brown.

Male

Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 57 ; abdominal segment IV without ps; tergopleurite V without ss and aps. Basal apodeme short and broad, not constricted medianly ( Fig 60 ). Proximal mesosome broadly bell-shaped, anteriorly rounded, elongated ( Fig. 62 ). Mesosomal lobes narrow, angled at mid-length, with rugose fringe along distal margin; 2 pmes on each side lateral to gonopore. Gonopore wider than long, somewhat angular, without lateral extensions. Penile arms reach beyond distal margin of mesosome. Parameres proportionately short, slightly elongated distally, with distinct angle at mid-length ( Fig. 61 ); pst1–2 as in Fig. 61 . Measurements as in Table 1 .

Female

Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 58 . Subgenital plate slender, probably connected to cross-piece by narrow neck, but this section poorly sclerotized in examined specimens and illustrated approximately based on what can be seen ( Fig. 63 ). Vulval margin centrally distinctly rounded, with straight oblique lateral parts, 3–4 short, slender vms and 4–5 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 3–4 short, slender vos on each side of subgenital plate; distal 1 vos median to vss. Measurements as in Table 1 .

Figures

Figs 57–58. Brueelia hermetica sp. nov. 57. Male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 58. Female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

Figs 59–63. Brueelia hermetica sp. nov. 59. Male head, dorsal and ventral views. 60. Male genitalia, dorsal view. 61. Male paramere, dorsal view. 62. Male mesosome, ventral view. 63. Female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.

Figs 64–65. Brueelia robertrankini sp. nov. 64. Male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 65. Female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

Figs 66–70. Brueelia robertrankini sp. nov. 66. Male head, dorsal and ventral views. 67. Male genitalia, dorsal view. 68. Male paramere, dorsal view. 69. Male mesosome, ventral view. 70. Female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.