Brueelia malacocincla Najer & Sychra

Najer, Tomas, Sychra, Oldrich, Kounek, Filip, Papousek, Ivo & Hung, Nguyen Manh, 2014, Chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera and Ischnocera) from wild birds in southern Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3755 (5), pp. 419-433 : 426-430

Brueelia malacocincla Najer & Sychra , new species

( Figs 3 A–B, 4A–D, 5C–D)

Type host: Malacocincla abbotti Blyth, 1845—Abbott’s barbler

Male (n = 1) ( Figs 3 A, 5C). Head almost as long as wide (HL/TW = 0.97), with preantennal region longer than the postantennal (PAL/POL = 1.14), and with slightly concave anterior margin ( Figs 4 B, 5C). Dorsal head plate arcuate, with concave anterior and convex posterior margins ( Fig. 4 B); marginal carina with straight lateral margins, and lateral and medial interruptions, the latter shaped as in type “e” in Johnson et al. (2002). Metasternal plate with 2 medium long setae; metanotum with 8 setae (1 short, 6 medium long and 1 long) on each side of posterior margin. The outermost lateral short seta is also included.

Tergal setae: postspiracular seta on each side of tergites IV–VIII; postspiracular accessory and tergal posterior setae absent on all segments; sutural seta short, present on each side of tergite II–VIII; tergite IX–X wide and divided medially with one long and 3–4 short setae on each side; tergite XI with 9 setae ( Fig. 4 C), on each side. Abdominal sterna II–VII with a pair of short lateral setae. Paratergal setae: II–III, 0; IV, 2; V, 1; VI–VIII, 2. Internal incrassations in pleural areas moderately pigmented (type “b” in Johnson et al. 2002). Male genitalia as in Fig. 4 A, with short stout parameres with enlarged round heads and one sensilla plus one minute subapical seta each, and an oval endomeral plate with central straight and parallel sclerotizations with three minute sensillae on each side. Dimensions: PAW, 0.28; PAL, 0.16; TW, 0.35; POL, 0.14; HL, 0.34; PW, 0.21; ML, 0.12; MW, 0.29; AWV, 0.40; AL, 0.70; TL, 1.24; GW, 0.08.

Female (n = 1) ( Figs 3 B, 5D). Head almost as long as wide (HL/TW = 0.97), with preantennal region longer than the postantennal (PAL/POL = 1.27). Metanotum with 9 setae (1 short, 7 medium long and 1 long setae) on each postero-lateral margin. Tergal setae: postspiracular seta on each side of tergites IV–VIII; postspiracular accessory and tergal posterior setae absent on all segments; sutural seta short, present on each side of tergites II– VIII. Tergite VIII with 2 long setae on each postero-lateral corner; tergite IX–X with 1 short and 2 long setae, on each side. Paratergal setae: II–III, 0; IV, 1; V–VII, 2; VIII, 3. Ventral terminalia as in Fig. 4 D, subgenital plate wide; vulval margin significantly convex, with 13 spine-like and 3 fine minute setae. Dimensions: PAW, 0.31; PAL, 0.19; TW, 0.38; POL, 0.15; HL, 0.37; PW, 0.23; ML, 0.14; MW, 0.32; AWV, 0.46; AL, 0.93; TL, 1.50.

Type material. Holotype ♂ ex Malacocincla abbotti, VIETNAM: surroundings of a rubbish dump next to the tourist dormitory, Nam Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Province, Dong Nam Bo Region (11°25' N, 107°25' E), 11 September 2011, Najer & Sychra leg ( IEBR VAST, O. Sychra V86). Paratype: 1♀ with same data as holotype ( IEBR VAST, O. Sychra V86).

Remarks. Brueelia malacocincla represents the first ischnoceran species found on babblers of the family Pellorneidae . Besides Brueelia hrabali Najer & Sychra, 2012 , described from Macronous gularis of the family Timaliidae ( Najer et al. 2012b), B. malacocincla is the second species of Brueelia recorded from babblers in Vietnam. Also, Menacanthus eurysternus ( Burmeister, 1838) , and B. malacocincla are the only louse species known from babblers of the genus Malacocincla (see Price et al. 2003). Brueelia malacocincla can be easily distinguished from B. hrabali by its completely different shape of head and body, as well as by other features (see Najer et al. 2012b). Furthermore, B. malacocincla can be morphologically separated from other species of Brueelia known from birds which may occur in Vietnam by the following combination of features: (1) marginal carina straight with lateral interruption ( Fig. 4 B); (2) shape of the dorsal head plate, as in Fig. 4 B; (3) the presence of sutural setae on tergites II–III; (4) the characteristic shape of male genitalia with oval endomeral plate with central straight sclerotizations ( Fig. 4 A).

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition derived from the generic name of the type host.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Brueelia malacocincla: A, dorso-ventral view of male. B, dorso-ventral view of female. Scales = 0.50 mm for both figures.

FIGURE 4. Brueelia malacocincla: A, male genitalia. B, dorso-ventral view of head of male. C, dorsal view of male terminalia. D, ventral view of female terminalia. Scales = 0.10 mm for all figures.