Coronedax longiceps Ren, Tian, Grossi, Zou & Gustafsson, 2024

Ren, Mengjiao, Tian, Chunpo, Grossi, Alexandra A., Zou, Fasheng & Gustafsson, Daniel R., 2024, Cryptic genera, cryptic species: phylogeny of the genus Philopteroides Mey, 2004, sensu lato, with descriptions of two new genera and one new species, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 82, pp. 585-605 : 585-605

Coronedax longiceps Ren, Tian, Grossi, Zou & Gustafsson sp. n.

Figures 12 , 18–19 , 20–23 , 24

Type host.

Terpsiphone incei (Gould, 1852) – Amur paradise flycatcher.

Diagnosis.

Morphologically similar to Coronedax terpsiphoni (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 b), but can be separated by the following characters: 1) head proportionately longer and narrower in C. longiceps than in C. terpsiphoni (Figs 24 , 25 ); 2) dorsal anterior plate more slender in C. longiceps than in C. terpsiphoni (Figs 24 , 25 ); 3) female vulval margin of C. terpsiphoni with short vss, but these are absent in C. longiceps (Fig. 23 ); 4) male subgenital plate with only 1 macroseta on each side (on segment VII) in C. longiceps (Fig. 18 ), but with 2 macrosetae on each side (on segments VII – VIII) in C. terpsiphoni .

Possibly, head sensillum s 4 is absent in C. terpsiphoni , but these sensilla are easily overlooked and as no specimen of C. terpsiphoni were examined, this cannot be verified; s 4 is present in C. longiceps . Differences in the male genitalia between C. longiceps and the illustrations of Najer et al. (2012 b) (Figs 11 , 12 ) may not be diagnostic as much of the distal genitalia are largely soft, and thus affected by mounting.

Description.

Head structure and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 20 ; head long and slender; dorsal anterior plate slender (Fig. 20 ); head sensillum s 4 present; os much shorter than mts 3; mts 1 intermediate in length between os and mts 3. Thoracic and abdominal segments and chaetotaxy as in Figs 18 , 19 . Male abdominal chaetotaxy: ss present on segments II – VIII; tps present on segments II – VIII (2 on each side on II – VI, 1 on each side on VII – VII); psps present on segments III – VII; aps absent; ps present on segments IV – VIII. Female abdominal chaetotaxy: ss present on segments II – VIII; tps present on segments II – VIII (1 on each side); psps present on segments III – VII; aps absent; ps present on segments IV – VIII. Central sternal plates present on segments II – VI in both sexes; accessory sternal plates absent in male (but some central sternal plates with modified lateral ends) and present on segments III – VI in female. Each of sternal plates II – VI in both sexes with 1 thorn-like and 1 normal seta on each side; on segments II – V thorn-like setae median to normal setae, but on VI thorn-like setae lateral to normal setae. Basal apodeme slender, not conspicuously thickened laterally, bulging distally (Fig. 21 ). Mesosome as mainly dorsal thickening of distal mesosome centrally; 2 lpmes microsetae visible on each side. Gonopore reduced, extending slightly beyond distal margin of basal apodeme, with slight nodi distally (Fig. 22 ). Parameres completely fused to basal apodeme proximally, soft and flexible, may be displaced dorsally; pst 1 sensillum, pst 2 distal seta, as long as paramere. Female subgenital plate with triangular extension distally (Fig. 23 ). Vulval margin bulging, with 2 vms mesosetae on each side. Subvulval plates roughly triangular.

Measurements.

Male (n = 3, except for TL, where n = 1 and PW where n = 2): TL = 1.26; HL = 0.39–0.41; HW = 0.35–0.37; PRW = 0.22–0.26; PTW = 0.31–0.35; AW = 0.41–0.48. Female (n = 1, total length not measured due to breakage in pterothorax): HL = 0.42; HW = 0.37; PRW = 0.25; PTW = 0.30; AW = 0.41.

Etymology.

Specific name derived from “ longus ”, Latin for “ long ”, and “ - ceps ”, Latin for “ - headed ”, referring to the relatively long head of this species compared to the only other known member of the genus.

Type specimens.

Holotype ♂, CHINA: Yunnan Province, Banna Prefecture, Mengla County, primary forest near Xinhuikuan and Manpa villages , 6 Jun. 2013, coll. D. Su & Y. Zhao, bird ID: J 1124, louse ID: GD-PHTH- 901 ( IZGAS) . Paratypes: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as holotype, louse ID: GD-PHTH-00899 –900, 902 ( IZGAS) .

Figures

Figures 2–17. Comparison of the male genitalia of some species of Philopteroides Mey, 2004, Coronedax gen. n., and Stasiasticopterus gen. n. All figures redrawn from their original descriptions (Tandan 1955; Mey 2004; Valim & Palma 2013), unless otherwise noted. Illustrations have been rescaled to be roughly the same size. Illustrations are in ventral view, unless otherwise noted. No illustrations of the genitalia have ever been published for Philopteroides lineatus (Giebel, 1874), Philopteroides mitsusui (Uchida, 1948), or Stasiasticopterus kayanobori (Uchida, 1948). 2 Philopteroides novaezelandiae Mey, 2004. 3 Philopteroides xenicus Mey, 2004. 4 Philopteroides fuliginosus Valim & Palma, 2013. 5 Philopteroides macrocephalus Valim & Palma, 2013. 6 Philopteroides gigas Najer et al., 2016. 7 Philopteroides sinancorellus Najer et al., 2016. 8 Philopteroides sclerotifrons (Tandan, 1955); no scale in original. 9 Philopteroides pilgrimi Valim & Palma, 2013. 10 Philopteroides beckeri (Mey, 2004) (redrawn from Valim & Palma 2013). 11 Coronedax terpsiphoni (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 a). 12 Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 13 Stasiasticopterus longiclypeatus (Gustafsson et al., 2022 b). 14 Stasiasticopterus holosternus (Gustafsson et al., 2022 b). 15 Stasiasticopterus haerixos (Gustafsson et al., 2022 b). 16 Stasiasticopterus flavala (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 a. 17 Stasiasticopterus cucphuongensis (Mey, 2004) (redrawn from Gustafsson et al. 2022 b). Bold grey lines signify the generic divisions used here; narrow grey lines signify groups that are morphologically different from the type species of the respective genera, but where there is insufficient data to propose addition (e. g., subgeneric) limits. The two species here considered incerta sedis are placed in separate groups, pending further investigations. — Abbreviations used: BA = basal apodeme; GP = gonopore; MS = mesosome; lpmes = lateral posterios mesosomal setae; PM = parameres; pst 1–2 = parameral setae 1–2 (2 distal to 1).

Figures 18, 19. Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 18 male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 19 female habitus, dorsal and ventral views. — Abbreviations used: mms = marginal mesometanotal setae; ppss = pronotal post-spiracular seta; ps = paratergal setae; psps = principal post-spiracular setae; ss = sutural setae; sts = sternal setae; tps = tergal posterior setae.

Figures 20–23. Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 20 male head, dorsal and ventral views. 21 male genitalia, dorsal view. 22 male genitalia, ventral view. 23 female subgenital plate, vulval margin, and post-vulval area, ventral view. Male genitalia are illustrated asymmetrically as in holotype specimen, to indicate the “ looseness ” of the parameres. — Abbreviations used: as 1 = anterior seta 1; lpmes = lateral posterior mesosomal seta; mts 1, 3 = marginal temporal setae 1, 3; os = ocular seta; pst 1–2 = parameral setae 1–2; pts = posttemporal seta; s 1–4 = sensilla 1–4 of dorsal postantennal head; vms = vulval marginal setae.

Figures 24, 25. Comparison in shape and proportions of head in species of Coronedax gen. n. 24 male head of Coronedax longiceps sp. n. 25 female head of Coronedax terpsiphoni (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2012 b) (redrawn from original description to same scale as Fig. 24). Setae and some other characters illustrated by Najer et al. (2012 b) have been omitted for clarity.