Colpocephalum afrozeae, Naz, Saima, Sychra, Oldrich & Rizvi, Syed Anser, 2012

Naz, Saima, Sychra, Oldrich & Rizvi, Syed Anser, 2012, New records and a new species of chewing lice (Phthiraptera, Amblycera, Ischnocera) found on Columbidae (Columbiformes) in Pakistan, ZooKeys 174, pp. 79-93 : 82-85

Colpocephalum afrozeae sp. n. Figs 112

Holotype.

male, on Columba livia (Gmelin); Pakistan: Karachi; 20-VII-2006; leg. Naz, S.

Paratype.

8 males, 12 females, on Columba livia (Gmelin); Pakistan: Karachi; 20-VII-2006; leg. Naz, S.

Other material.

6 nymphs, on Columba livia (Gmelin), with data as above.

Type host.

Columba livia (Gmelin) (Columbiformes: Columbidae ).

Measurements.

TL: male 1.242 (1.24-1.245) (Figs 1-2), female 1.330 (1.285-1.375) (fig. 3); HL: male 0.287 (0.286-0.288), female 0.302 (0.30-0.305); POW: male 0.318 (0.315-0.332), female 0.347 (0.345-0.35); TW: male 0.45 (0.445-0.455), female 0.492 (0.48-0.505); PL: male 0.12 (0.11-0.13), female 0.137 (0.135-0.14); PW: male 0.288 (0.255-0.322), female 0.332 (0.325-0.34); ML: male 0.135 (0.12-0.15), female 0.152 (0.15-0.155); MW: male 0.374 (0.322-0.426), female 0.51 (0.505-0.515); AL: male 0.658 (0.642-0.675), female 0.697 (0.685-0.71), GL: 1.03 (1.01-1.05), GW: 0.155 (0.15-0.16), PML: 0.055 (0.050-0.060).

Head

(Figs 1-6). Anterior marginal carina very thick, with large and blunt marginal nodi; DHS 8-10 short fine to stout setae; DHS 15 long; occipital setae 21-22 thick setae of normal length; ventral subtemporal setae present; ocular and occipital nodi very well developed, connected with thick oculo–occipital and occipital carinae; maxillary palpi as in fig. 4; antennae (fig. 5) four segmented, pedicel large with short lateral process, bearing three stout sharp setae, flagellomere II long, oval with broad terminal disc; hypopharynx (fig. 6) very well developed.

Thorax

(Figs 1-3, 7). Pronotal carina very thickly sclerotized; pronotal seta 2 minute peg-like setae; lateral to posterior margin of pronotum with four long and at least two short setae; prosternal plate (fig. 7) weakly developed, short, with posterior margin convex and lateral margins absent, one pair of small microsetae anterior to the plate present; posterior margin of metanotum straight, with 8-10 normal fine setae, arranged equally without any gape; femur III with two ctenidia.

Abdomen

(Figs 1-3, 8). Male. Tergal plates complete, marginal setae from tergite I–VIII: 12, 14, 17, 18, 16, 16, 15 and 13 respectively; anterior tergal setae scattered, ranging from 14-28 microsetae; postspiracular seta long on segment II, V–VII, shorter on segments III–IV and VIII; sternal setae in double rows on sternites I–VII: 15, 24, 16 (+ two large ctenidia on segment III; fig. 8), 24, 21, 20 and 16 respectively. Terminalia (Figs 1-2): Terminal segment comprises segments IX and X, posteriorly rounded; large tergal plate usually without anterior setae, latero–posterior margin with two long macrosetae and posterior margin bears four long macrosetae and two short fine setae; sternites VIII forming a short subgenital plate, bearing dense scattered small thin setae; anal margin almost straight.

Female. Tergites I and II complete, wide and long, tergites III–VIII divided, tripartite, narrow and short; tergocentral setae on segment I and II long; tergal marginal setae from I–VIII: 20, 20-22, 16-18, 18-20, 16-19, 17, 18 and 14-16 respectively; postspiracular setae long on II–III, VI–VIII; segment VIII with one pair of long, latero–anterior setae; sternite I developed, sternite II–VIII complete and well sclerotized; sternal setae small short to fine, scattered all over the plates; sternite III with two long ctenidia (fig. 8). Terminalia (fig. 9): Terminal segment widely rounded posteriorly; tergite IX divided, median piece triangular; posterior margin of lateral plates with small fine setae and two pairs of long macrosetae; anus narrow, transverse with tapering ends; anal fringes bear forty three stout microsetae in anterior fringe and forty seven to fifty fine curved setae in posterior fringe; vulval margin medially concave, with small thick, stout curved setae, gradually larger at latero–posterior ends.

Male genitalia

(Figs 10-12). Elongated; genital sclerite (fig. 12) short, with long and slightly curved latero-posterior points; genital lateral plates short and thick; basal plate thick and broad; median process long; penis (fig. 11) terminally narrow; parameres straight, tubular.

Remarks.

Colpocephalum afrozeae were collected from Columba livia on which Colpocephalum turbinatum has been reported previously. The two species of the genus Colpocephalum of Columba livia are different from each other. Colpocephalum afrozeae has the anterior margin of head broadly convex; anterior marginal carina thick; oculo-occipital carina thick; prothorax with two short marginal setae; femur III with two ctenidia; female tergite II with long tergocentral setae; postspiracular setae long on tergites II–III and VI–VIII; lateral plates of male genitalia very short; lateroposterior points of genital sclerite large and curved; median process reduced; female genital reticulation invisible; vulva medially concave; anus narrow and transverse.

Colpocephalum afrozeae has also some similarities with Colpocephalum arfakiani Price and Beer, but they have morphological differences, which consist of a thin anterior marginal carina; five long pronotal marginal setae; tergite II of female divided; tergite VIII with small triangular median piece; anal opening broad, with light fringe of short setae; male genital sclerite without latero-posterior points and long lateral plates are found in Colpocephalum arfakiani whereas the anterior margin very thick; four pronotal marginal setae long; tergite II of female complete; tergite VIII with large trapezoidal piece; anal opening narrow and transverse, with dense fringe of short setae in anterior margin and thick, long setae on posterior margin; male genital sclerite with long and curved latero-posterior points and short lateral plates are found in Colpocephalum afrozeae .

Etymology.

The present species is named after Mrs Hussan Afroze, mother of the first author.