Philopteroides flavala Najer & Sychra

Najer, Tomas, Sychra, Oldrich, Hung, Nguyen Manh, Capek, Miroslav, Podzemny, Petr & Literak, Ivan, 2012, New species and new records of chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera and Ischnocera) from bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) in Vietnam, Zootaxa 3357, pp. 37-48 : 39-42

Philopteroides flavala Najer & Sychra , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 2 A–G, 5 A–B)

Type host: Hemixos flavala Blyth, 1845 , the Ashy Bulbul.

Male (n = 4). Habitus as in Figs. 2 A and 5A. Head longer than wide, the preantennal region longer than the postantennal, with concave lateral margin. Central sclerotization placed in the concave hyaline margin of head with somewhat enlarged and convex ( Figs. 2 B and 2F). Dorsal anterior head plate with concave anterior margin, ventral one with a little concave to almost straight anterior margin as in Figs. 1 , 2 B and 2F. Metanotum with 6–8 setae on each side including one minute seta associated with long seta in each lateral end of the metanotum. Metapleurite with one short seta. Tergal setae: II, 9–10 (plus anterior pair); III, 10–12; IV, 10; V, 9–11; VI, 10–11; VII, 10–11; VIII, 6–9; IX, 2; sternal setae: II, 5–8; III–IV, 7–8; V, 7–10; VI, 9–12 including 2 short spine-like setae on each sternite ( Fig. 2 C). Sternite II very reduced. Sternite II–III and the posterior part of male subgenital plate with small rounded lateral sclerites, all other sternites entire without lateral sclerites ( Fig. 2 C); subgenital plate as in Fig. 2 C, with 4 long setae. Pleural setae: II–III, 0; IV with 2 medium long setae on each pleurite; V, 2 and VI–VIII, 3, longer than setae on pleurites IV–V. Male genitalia as in Figs. 1 and 2 D with stout parameres with short latero-anterior processes and rounded mesomere with small posterior lobe on each side. Dimensions: PAW, 0.31–0.32; FW, 0.13–0.15; PAL, 0.25–0.26; LHCL, 0.13–0.14; DAPW, 0.11–0.12; DAPL, 0.23–0.25; TW, 0.40–0.42; POL, 0.15–0.17; HL, 0.46–0.49; PW, 0.25–0.31; ML, 0.14–0.16; MW, 0.36–0.42; AWV, 0.51–0.62; AL, 0.50–0.61; GW, 0.09; TL, 1.24–1.36.

Female (n = 11). General habitus as in Figs. 1 and 5 B. Most features as in male ( Fig. 2 E). Metanotum with 7–9 setae on each side including one minute seta associated with long seta in each lateral end of the metanotum. Tergal setae: II, 9–11 (plus anterior pair); III, 10–13; IV, 12–13; V, 10–14; VI, 11–14; VII, 10–12; VIII, 5–8; IX, 2; sternal setae: II, 6–9; III–V, 8–11; VI, 10–11, including 2 short spine-like setae on each sternite ( Fig. 2 G). Numbers of pleural setae as in male, setae on each pleurite IV and V longer, approximately the same length as setae on tergite IV and pleural setae on VI. Abdominal sternites with small rounded lateral sclerites, with relatively large gap between them and sternal plates. Subgenital plate as in Fig. 2 G, with 4 long setae placed behind the posterior margin of the plate. Vulval margin with groups of 6–7 setae on each side and 6–9 minute setae in the central part. Dimensions: PAW, 0.34–0.38; FW, 0.13–0.16; PAL, 0.28–0.29; LHCL, 0.14–0.20; DAPW, 0.12–0.13; DAPL, 0.24–0.28; TW, 0.45–0.48; POL, 0.17–0.20; HL, 0.50–0.55; PW, 0.29–0.34; ML, 0.16–0.20; MW, 0.41–0.48; AWV, 0.65–0.71; AL, 0.67–0.85; TL, 1.51–1.72.

Type material. Holotype male ex Hemixos flavala Blyth, 1845 , VIETNAM: Botanical Garden, Cuc Phuong, Province of Ninh Binh (20°15' N 105°42' E), 7 February 2010, coll. I. Literak, in IEBR VAST (O.Sychra V24). Paratypes: 1 female with the same data as holotype in IEBR VAST (O. Sychra V24); 1 male, 1 female with the same data as holotype in MMBC (O. Sychra V25); 1 male, 1 female with the same data as holotype in BMNH (O. Sychra V26); 1 male, 1 female ex Hemixos castanonotus Swinhoe, 1870 , other data as in holotype, in IEBR VAST (O.Sychra V27); 2 females with the same data but in MMBC (O.Sychra V28) and 2 females with the same data data but in BMNH (O.Sychra V29).

Remarks. Although Clay (1972) mentioned Philopterus sp. from Hemixos flavala (= Hypsipetes flavulus ), this is the first determination of a chewing louse from this host to the species level, and the first record of chewing lice from Hemixos castanonotus . There are 5 known species of Philopteroides in Southeast Asia ( Giebel 1874; Uchida 1948; Tandan 1955; Mey 2004); Philopteroides flavala sp. nov. is morphologically closest to Philopteroides cucphuongensis Mey, 2004 , with these two species differing greatly from the remaining, as shown by Mey (2004).

Philopteroides flavala is the second species of Philopteroides known from the passerine family Pycnonotidae , as well as the second species of Philopteroides found in Vietnam, with P. cucphuongensis being the first in both cases. The new species can be morphologically distinguished from the latter by the following features: (1) an unique shape of male genitalia with stout parameres with short latero-anterior processes and rounded mesomere with a small posterior lobe on each side; (2) smaller median sternites and large gaps between them and the lateral sclerites in females; (3) relatively large dimensions, compared to P. cucphuongensis .

Etymology. The species epithet derives from the species name of the type host.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Female and male genitalia of Philopteroides flavala showing the morphological measurements taken for this study. Explanations: 1, DAPL, dorsoanterior head plate length; 2, DAPW, dorsoanterior head plate width, taken at the widest point; 3, LHCL, lateral head carina length; 4, FW, frons width; 5, PAW, preantennal width from the bases of the coni; 6, TW, temple width, taken at the widest point; 7, HL, head length; 8, PAL, preantennal length; 9, POL, postantennal length; 10, PW, prothorax width; 11, MW, metathorax width; 12, ML, metathorax length; 13, AWV, abdomen width, taken at the widest point; 14, AL, abdomen length; 15, TL, total length; 16, GW, male genitalia width, taken at the widest point.

FIGURE 2. Philopteroides flavala. A, Male. B, Dorsal and ventral anterior head plate with the anterior hyaline margin of male. C, Male sternites and subgenital plate. D, Male genitalia. E, Female. F, Dorsal and ventral anterior head plate with the anterior hyaline margin of female. G, Female sternites and subgenital plate. Scales 0.10 mm for all figures. For Figs. A and E dorsal side on left, ventral side on right.

FIGURE 5. Philopteroides flavala. A, Holotype male. B, Paratype female. Brueelia flavala. C, Holotype male. D, Paratype female. Brueelia cucphuongensis. E, Holotype male. F, Paratype female.