Hoplopleura rubrisciuri, Musser, Guy G., Durden, Lance A., Holden, Mary Ellen & Light, Jessica E., 2010

Musser, Guy G., Durden, Lance A., Holden, Mary Ellen & Light, Jessica E., 2010, Systematic Review of Endemic Sulawesi Squirrels (Rodentia, Sciuridae), with Descriptions of New Species of Associated Sucking Lice (Insecta, Anoplura), and Phylogenetic and Zoogeographic Assessments of Sciurid Lice, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2010 (339), pp. 1-260 : 1-260

Hoplopleura rubrisciuri , new species

HOLOTYPE AND TYPE LOCALITY: Male and allotype female ex male Rubrisciurus rubriventer (AMNH 225491; Rodentia , Sciuridae , Nannosciurinae, Nannosciurini, Hyosciurina) collected by G.G. Musser at 4960 ft (1512 m) on Gunung Kanino (1 ° 179S, 120 ° 089E; see gazetteer and fig. 5), Propinsi Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia, on 31 January 1975. The holotype is deposited in USNM.

REFERRED SPECIMENS: An additional 5 males, 11 females, and 4 nymphs from the same pelt as the holotype and allotype; two nymphs ex male R. rubriventer (AMNH 224052) collected by G.G. Musser at 675 m at Sungai Sadaunta (1 ° 239S, 119 ° 589E), central Sulawesi on 9 February , 1974 ; one female ex female R. rubriventer (identified in the field by L.A. Durden and I.A. Hanski) collected by I.A. Hanski at ca. 1100 m on Gunung Maujat (0 ° 459N, 124 ° 259E), on the northern peninsula of Sulawesi (Sulawesi Utara), on 5 February , 1985 ; one male ex female R. rubriventer (BM 40.674) collected by W.J.C. Frost at 4000 ft (1220 m) in the Luartes Range, Pegunungan Quarles, Bulu [5 Gunung] Karua (referred to as ‘‘ Rantekaroa , Quarles Mt. ’’ on specimen tags), 02 ° 569S, 119 ° 399E), central Sulawesi, on 13 December , 1939 ; one male ex female R. rubriventer (AMNH 101316) collected by G. Heinrich at 50 m at Wawo (3 ° 419S, 121 ° 029E), on the southeastern peninsula of Sulawesi, on 23 January , 1932. Paratypes are deposited in AMNH, BMNH, LAD, and USNM .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the five collections listed above, all from Rubrisciurus rubriventer . Hoplopleura rubrisciuri probably parasitizes R. rubriventer throughout its geographic and altitudinal ranges (see fig. 11 and table 4).

ETYMOLOGY: This louse is named for the monotypic host genus.

DIAGNOSIS: Hoplopleura rubrisciuri is a distinctive louse. It can be distinguished from all other species of Hoplopleura using a combination of the following characters: (1) the absence of dorsal abdominal plates in both sexes and the absence of sternal abdominal plates (between the 3rd sternal plate and the subgenital plate), in the female, N.B., a wrinkled texture is characteristic of the abdomen in some specimens that superficially gives the impression of numerous narrow plates; (2) the presence of one short and one long apical seta on paratergal plate II and of two long apical setae on each of paratergal plates III–VIII in both sexes; (3) the shape and proportions of the thoracic sternal plate and of the genitalic structures in both sexes.

DESCRIPTION: Abbreviations used here and in descriptions of the other species of lice to follow are explained in Specimens and Methods.

Male (fig. 46A–D). Length of holotype 1.02 mm (mean for series 1.01, range 0.92– 1.08, N 5 8). Head and thorax well sclerotized.

Head. Slightly longer than wide with broadly rounded anterior apex; 3 SuHS, 4 DMHS, 1 DPoCHS, 1 SpAtHS, 2 ApHS (1 dorsal, 1 ventral), 4 AnMHS (2 dorsal, 2 ventral), 2–3 VPaHS, and 1 VPHS on each side; DPHS fairly long, extending to thoracic spiracle, with 1 DAcHS medial to DPHS. Antenna. 5-segmented with basal segment much larger than second segment, slightly wider than long.

Thorax. About as broad as long; thoracic sternal plate (fig. 46B) blunt anteriorly and tapering to broad apex posteriorly; mesothoracic spiracle moderate in size (0.020 mm in diameter) with one small DMsS and one fairly long DPTS (0.14 mm in length) medial to spiracle. Legs. Forelegs small, each with narrow acuminate claw; hind coxa and claw robust; midlegs intermediate in size between fore and hindlegs.

Abdomen. Wider than thorax; no dorsal plates; two plates per segment ventrally on segments 2–6; first ventral plate small, plates 2 and 3 broad, well sclerotized, and extending laterally to articulate with corresponding paratergal plates; ventral plate 3 with two robust lateral setae on each side (three on one side in one specimen); ventral plates 4–12 narrow and poorly sclerotized; one row of DCAS per segment dorsally, first row with 2 DCAS, 2nd row with 4 DCAS, rows 3 and 8 each with 6 DCAS, rows 4–7 each with 10–17 DCAS; most DCAS long and thin except for a few dagger-shaped lateral setae; 11 rows of 7–10 StAS ventrally; 1 VLAS lateral to each of ventral plates 8–11 on each side. Paratergal plates (fig. 46C) present on segments 1–8: plate I lacking setae; plate II with one long and one short apical seta; plates III– VIII each with two long apical setae; plates II–V subtriangular and with both apices developed into points; plates III–VII each with moderate-size spiracle.

Genitalia (fig. 46D). Long subgenital plate (extending anteriorly to level of paratergal plate VI in most specimens) with characteristic undulating lateral margins (as shown in fig. 46A); aedeagal basal apodeme slightly longer than parameres; parameres broad, curved, and tapering apically; pseudopenis short, barely extending beyond apices of parameres.

Female (fig. 47A–D). Length of allotype 1.31 mm (mean for series 1.18, range 0.92– 1.33, N 5 13).

Head, thorax, and legs. As in male unless indicated otherwise. 1 DAnCHS and 2 SpAtHS on each side of head. Thoracic sternal plate (fig. 47B) similar to that of male but slightly broader.

Abdomen. Wider than thorax; lacking dorsal plates; ventrally with only three anterior plates (plate 1 small, plates 2 and 3 both broad and articulating with corresponding paratergal plates) and subgenital plate; 16–17 rows of DCAS, first and last rows each with two setae, row 2 with four setae, rows 3– 6 each with 6–8 setae, and rows 9–15/16 each with 8–13 setae; DCAS in rows 1–4 and in posterior three rows long and narrow; most DCAS in rows 5–13/14 dagger-shaped; 7–8 StAS on ventral plates 2–3; two robust lateral setae on each side on plate 3; 13–14 rows of VCAS posterior to plate 3 each with 7–11 setae; most VCAS dagger-shaped. Paratergal plates (fig. 47C) as in male except for minor differences in shapes of plates as illustated.

Genitalia (fig. 47D). Subgenital plate with deep lateral indentation on each side and four long setae (two on each side) on anterior arms of plate; eight small setae on subgenital plate (four central and two situated proximally on each posterior arm); gonopod VIII with three apical setae of moderate length; gonopod IX with one short stout seta; vulvar fimbriae present.

REMARKS: Hoplopleura sp. D listed by Durden (1986) is Hoplopleura rubrisciuri .