Myrsidea sayacae Kolencik & Sychra, 2017

Literak, Ivan, 2017, Where are the species limits? Morphology versus genetics in Neotropical chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4324 (1), pp. 161-179 : 172

Myrsidea sayacae Kolencik & Sychra , new species

( Figs 3 , 8–9 )

« Myrsidea seminuda Eichler, 1951 »: Sychra et al. (2009: 502). Ex Thraupis sayaca . Misidentification.

Type host. Thraupis sayaca (Linnaeus, 1766) —Sayaca tanager ( Thraupidae ).

Type locality. Tres Gigantes Biological Station , Paraguayan Pantanal, Paraguay (20°04'S, 50°09'W).

Diagnosis. This species is close to M. seminuda Eichler, 1951 in (1) body shape (see figs 13–14 in Price & Dalgleish 2006), (2) dimensions, and (3) the presence of medioanterior setae on tergit III. However, M. sayacae is easily distinguished from M. seminuda by fewer setae on all tergites: in females, the total number of setae on all tergites is 160–181, against 191–256 in M. seminuda ; in males it is 162–212 against 208–254 in M. seminuda .

Description. Female (n = 3) As in Fig. 8 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites fully developed. Length of DHS 10, 0.060–0.067; DHS 11, 0.103–0.108; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.59–0.62. Ls5 0.08–0.09 long, latero-ventral fringe with 9– 10 setae. Gula with 5 setae on each side. Pronotum with 6 setae on posterior margin and 3 short spiniform setae at each lateral corner. First tibia with 3 outer ventro-lateral and 4 dorso-lateral setae. Metanotum not enlarged, with 11–12 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6–7 setae; metapleurites with 3 short strong spiniform setae. Femur III with 18–19 setae in ventral setal brush. Tergites not enlarged, all with straight posterior margin. Abdominal segments with continuous row of tergal setae across each segment. Tergal setae: I, 23–26; II, 21–26; III, 16–18; IV, 21–23; V, 25–27; VI, 23–25; VII, 19–22; VIII, 12–14. Postspiracular setae very long on VIII (0.43); long on VI (0.28); and short on I and VII (0.23–0.24). Inner posterior seta of last tergum not longer than anal fringe setae with length 0.07; length of short lateral marginal seta of last segment, 0.04. Pleural setae: I, 6–8; II, 7–10; III, 7–8; IV, 6– 7; V, 6–7; VI, 5–6; VII, 4; VIII, 3. Pleurites I–II with only short spine-like setae; pleurites III–VII with 2–3 slender and longer setae. Anterior margin of sternal plate II with a medial notch. Sternal setae: I, 0; II, 4 in each aster, aster setae length: s1, 0.04–0.06; s2, 0.04–0.05; s3, 0.04–0.05; s4, 0.03; with 18–26 marginal setae between asters, 15– 21 medioanterior; III, 31–37; IV, 32–34; V, 33–36; VI, 26–27; VII, 14–18; VIII–IX, 1 1–13; and 9–12 setae on deeply serrated vulval margin; with 5–9 medioanterior setae on sternite III. Anal fringe formed by 36–41 dosral and 33–35 ventral setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.42–0.48; POW, 0.35–0.38; HL, 0.30–0.33; PW, 0.22–0.30; MW, 0.44– 0.45; AW, 0.58–0.65; ANW, 0.20–0.22; TL, 1.50–1.55.

Male (n = 8). As in Fig. 9 . Length of DHS 10, 0.058–0.075; DHS 11, 0.100–0.110; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.57– 0.71. Ls5 0.07 long, latero-ventral fringe with 10–11 setae. Gula with 4–5 setae on each side. Pronotum with 6 setae on posterior margin and 3 short spiniform setae at each lateral corner. First tibia with 3 outer ventro-lateral and 4 dorso-lateral setae. Metanotum not enlarged with 8–10 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6–7 setae; metapleurites with 1–3 short spiniform strong setae. Femur III with 13–17 setae in ventral setal brush. Abdominal segments with continuous row of tergal setae across each segment. Tergal setae: I, 19–23; II, 21–25; III, 22–29; IV, 23–31; V, 22–31; VI, 22–29; VII, 20–25; VIII, 13–19. Postspiracular setae very long on VIII (0.36–0.39); long on II, IV and VII (0.25–0.35); and short on I, III, V and VI (0.13–0.20). Length of inner posterior seta of last tergum, 0.1; short lateral marginal seta of last segment, 0.02. Pleural setae: I, 4–5; II, 6–7; III, 6–7; IV, 6; V, 5; VI, 5; VII, 4; VIII, 3. Pleurites I with only short spine-like setae; pleurites II–VII with 0–4 slender and longer setae on inner ventral side. Anterior margin of sternal plate II with a medial notch. Sternal setae: I, 0; II, 3–4 in each aster, aster setae length: s1, 0.04–0.06; s2, 0.04–0.05; s3, 0.03–0.04; s4, 0.03; with 12–19 marginal setae between asters, 8–16 medioanterior; III, 26–34; IV, 29–34; V, 28–35; VI, 25–30; VII, 16–22; VIII, 8–12; remainder of plate, 9–13; and with 3 setae posteriorly; with 4–9 medioanterior setae on sternit III. With 8–9 internal anal setae. Genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 3 . Dimensions: TW, 0.40–0.44; POW, 0.32–0.38; HL, 0.27–0.30; PW, 0.26–0.33; MW, 0.35– 0.37; AW, 0.45–0.47; GW, 0.10–0.11; GSL, 0.08–0.09; TL, 1.23–1.35.

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

Type material. Ex Thraupis sayaca : Holotype ♀, Tres Gigantes Biological Station , Paraguayan Pantanal, Paraguay (20°04'S, 50°09'W), 6 Sep. 2012, I. Literak . Paratypes: 2♀, 6♂ with the same data as holotype ( MMBC—O. Sychra PG 06–09).

Additional material examined (non-types). Ex Thraupis sayaca , 1♀, 2♂, Nova Andradina (22˚15’S, 53˚21’W), Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, 29–30 Jul. 2006, I. Literak & M. Capek.

Remarks. Sychra et al. (2009: 502) identified a sample of Myrsidea from Thraupis sayaca from Brazil as M. seminuda . However, our reexamination of that sample and new material from Paraguay showed that they belong to a new species. A portion of COI gene was sequenced from specimens of Myrsidea sayacae (GenBank accession number KY 113136 ). As expected, the closest species among other known sequences of Neotropical Myrsidea was that of M. seminuda (A/N FJ 171275 ), with a sequence divergence of 14.3%. This divergence is close to the limit of interspecific variation proposed in this paper but, together with their morphological differences, we are confident that M. sayacae and M. seminuda represent separate species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Myrsidea new species. Figs 1 – 3, male genital sac sclerites: 1, Myrsidea flaveolae n. sp.; 2, Myrsidea habiae n. sp.; 3, Myrsidea sayacae n. sp. Figs 4 – 5, habitus: 4, Myrsidea flaveolae female; 5, Myrsidea flaveolae male.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Myrsidea new species, habitus. Myrsidea habiae n. sp.: 6, female; 7, male. Myrsidea sayacae n. sp.: 8, female; 9, male.