Rostrinirmus ruficeps (Nitzsch, 1866)

Bush, Sarah E., 2017, Morphological revision of the hyperdiverse Brueelia - complex (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) with new taxa, checklists and generic key, Zootaxa 4313 (1), pp. 1-443 : 265-269

Rostrinirmus ruficeps (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866)

( Figs 437–440 , 445–450 )

Nirmus ruficeps Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866: 367.

Degeeriella ruficeps Nitzsch in Giebel, 1866 ; Harrison, 1916: 122. Degeeriella ruficeps (Nitzsch) ; Séguy, 1944: 323.

Philopterus suzume Uchida, 1949: 548 .

Sturnidoecus ruficeps ( Nitzsch), 1866 ; Hopkins & Clay, 1952: 345. Sturnidoecus suzume ( Uchida), 1949 ; Hopkins & Clay, 1952: 345. Penenirmus ruficeps ( Nitzsch, 1866) ; Balát, 1981b: 46.

Rostrinirmus refractoriolus Złotorzycka, 1964a: 277 .

Sturnidoecus refractoriolus Złotorzycka, 1964a ; Ledger, 1980: 145. Rostrinirmus ruficeps ( Nitzsch, 1866) ; Złotorzycka, 1997: 215.

Type host. Passer montanus montanus ( Linnaeus, 1758) — Eurasian tree sparrow.

Type locality. None given in original description, possibly Germany.

Other hosts. Passer montanus saturatus Stejneger, 1885 — tree sparrow. Passer montanus malaccensis Dubois, 1887 — tree sparrow new host record. Passer montanus obscuratus Jacobi, 1923 — tree sparrow new host record. Passer domesticus domesticus ( Linnaeus, 1758) — house sparrow.

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 439 ; pns and pts very small, not visible in most specimens examined; dsms longer than in most other species of genus; os macroseta. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 437–438 .

Male. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 437 . Basal apodeme ( Figs 445, 448 ) largely rectangular, widening distally. Proximal mesosome wide, rectangular. Mesosomal lobes wide, irregular, with moderate ventral rugose nodi near distal margin; 2 ames microsetae sublaterally on each side of anterior half of mesosome; 1 pmes sensillus on each side of mesosomal lobes median to rugose nodi. Gonopore small, not visible in European material ( Fig. 446 ), but trifid, and attached to an asymmetrically bending tube-like structure in Asian material ( Fig. 449 ). Parameral heads uniquely shaped( Figs 447, 450 ), much elongated. Parameral blades crooked, tapering distally; pst1–2 as in genus description. Measurements ex Passer montanus montanus (n = 11 except n = 10 for TL): TL = 1.21–1.33 (1.27); HL = 0.38–0.42 (0.40); HW = 0.41–0.45 (0.42); PRW = 0.23–0.25 (0.24); PTW = 0.36–0.40 (0.37); AW = 0.55–0.61 (0.58). Ex P. m. malaccensis (n = 15 except n = 14 for AW and n = 12 for TL): TL = 1.15– 1.40 (1.29); HL = 0.38–0.41 (0.39); HW = 0.40–0.46 (0.42); PRW = 0.23–0.26 (0.25); PTW = 0.35–0.41 (0.37); AW = 0.53–0.58 (0.56). Ex. P. m. obscuratus (n = 2): TL = 1.24–1.28; HL = 0.39–0.40; HW = 0.41–0.43; PRW = 0.24–0.25; PTW = 0.37; AW = 0.58.

Female. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 438 . Subgenital plate broadly triangular ( Fig. 440 ), reaching or approaching vulval margin but not flaring into cross-piece. Vulval margin ( Fig. 440 ) gently rounded, with 5–6 short, slender vms on each side (median vms often displaced proximally), and 7–9 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 7–8 long, slender vos on each side; distal 2–3 vos just proximal or median to vss. Measurements ex Passer montanus montanus (n = 19): TL = 1.36–1.57 (1.48); HL = 0.42–0.47 (0.44); HW = 0.42–0.49 (0.46); PRW = 0.24–0.28 (0.26); PTW = 0.37–0.44 (0.40); AW = 0.54–0.72 (0.64). Ex P. m. malaccensis (n = 18 except n = 17 for TL): TL = 1.41–1.67 (1.53); HL = 0.42–0.46 (0.44); HW = 0.44–0.51 (0.47); PRW = 0.24–0.29 (0.27); PTW = 0.37–0.43 (0.41); AW = 0.59–0.71 (0.65). Ex. P. m. obscuratus (n = 2): TL = 1.55; HL = 0.42–0.45; HW = 0.46– 0.48; PRW = 0.26; PTW = 0.40; AW = 0.68–0.69.

Material examined (non-types). Ex Passer montanus montanus : 1♀, Stozice, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 10 Mar. 1958, S. Brelih, 6197 ( NHML) ; 3♀, same locality, date, and collector as previous, 6192, 6195–6, 6198 ( PMSL) ; 1♂, same locality and collector as previous, 29 Jan. 1962, 6568 ( PMSL) ; 1♂, same locality as previous, 21 Jan. 1975, D. Sere, 12662 ( PMSL) ; 1♂, 2♀, same locality and collector as previous, 30 Jan. 1975, 12712–4 ( PMSL) ; 1♀, same locality and collector as previous, 9 Oct. 1975, 12833 ( PMSL) ; 2♂, 2♀, Verje , Medvode, Slovenia, 14 Feb. 1954, S. Brelih, 124, 1812–4, 4056–7 ( PMSL) ; 3♂, 5♀, same locality and collector as previous, 10 Mar. 1958, 4058–65 ( PMSL) ; 1♂, 3♀, Tomacevo , Ljubljana, Slovenia, 30 Apr. 1969, J. Dovic, 11416–7 ( PMSL) ; 2♀, same locality and collector as previous, 8 Nov. 1965, 10861–2 ( PMSL) ; 1♀, Bácsalmás , Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary, 5 Nov. 1971, J. Rékási, 12041 ( PMSL) ; 1♀, same locality and collector as previous, 17 Apr. 1969, 12061 ( PMSL) ; 1♂, Bácsszőlős , Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary, 15 Mar. 1969, J. Rékási, 12066–7 ( PMSL) ; 3♂, 3♀, Eichler collection, 3758 (MFNB); 1♀, Halle , Germany, 4 Mar. 1948, Kleine, ZM 1233/2 ( MFNB) .

Ex Passer montanus malaccensis [some as Passer montanus ]: 2♂, 2♀, Bharatpur, Rajputana State, India, 13 Jan. 1962, R. Meinertzhagen, 19170, BM 1952-143 (NHML); 2♀, “Chrui ChgW’, Cambodia, 12 Dec. 1966, J. Klein, Brit. Mus.1968-482 (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Ban Chang Khian, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, 11 Jul. 1962, K. Thonglongya, SEATO-1274 (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, same data as previous, 8187–8 on reverse (OSUS); 1♂, 1♀, same locality and collector as previous, 6 Aug. 1962, SEATO-1356 (NHML); 2♂, 2♀, same locality and collector as previous, 4 May 1962, SEATO-940 (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, same data as previous (UMSP); 1♂, 1♀, same locality and collector as previous, 4 Apr. 1962, K. Thonglongya, 702 (UMSP); 1♀, same locality and collector as holotype, 5 Apr. 1962, 711 (PMSL); 1♂, Ban Pong, San Sai District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, 16 Feb. 1962, K. Thonglongya, 510 (UMSP); 1♂, 1♀, same data as previous (PIPeR); 2♂, 2♀, same locality and collector as previous, 15 Feb. 1962, 506 (PIPeR); 1♂, 1♀, Ban Chiang Khian, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, 5 Apr. 1962, K. Thonglongya, 710 (PIPeR); 2♂, Khlong Khlung, Kamphaeng Phet Province, Thailand, 15 Apr. 1953, R.E. Elbel & H.G. Deignan, RE-2435, RT-B-17908 (PIPeR); 2♀, same locality and collector as previous, 24 Apr. 1953, RE- 2482, RT-B-21046 (PIPeR).

Ex P. m. saturatus [some as P. montanus ]: 2♂, 2♀, Ping Tung, [Ping Tung County,] Taiwan, 21 Feb. 1959, R.E. Kuntz, PF-5688 or BF-337, 8192–3 on reverse (OSUS).

Ex P. domesticus : 1♂, 1♀, Reúnion Island ( France), 30 Sep. 1980, N. Barre, 21447–8 on reverse ( OSUS) ; 1♀, Abu Rawash , Egypt, 7 Oct. 1966, 1427 ( NMNH) .

Remarks. The species limits of Rostrinirmus ruficeps are complicated by a morphological diversity between the material from both host species in different geographical regions. The only available illustrations of the male genitalia of Ro. ruficeps are those of Złotorzycka (1964a, 1997), from European Passer montanus montanus . In these illustrations, the parameral heads are indistinguishable from those of lice from P. monatnus malaccensis . However, specimens from P. m. malaccensis have asymmetrical mesosomes ( Figs 448–449 ). This feature appears in specimens from different collection localities, mounted by different people; thus it is unlikely an artifact of mounting.

The hosts Passer montanus and P. domesticus also appear to be parasitised by other species of Rostrinirmus . For example, a male Rostrinirmus from P. domesticus from Réunion, where the host is introduced from Europe, has os as microsetae and male genitalia that are very dissimilar to those of Ro. ruficeps from European populations of P. montanus . Individuals of Rostrinirmus with very different male genitalia even appear to be living in sympatry. For example, in a collection of two male specimens from Rajputana, India (ex P. montanus obscuratus ) from the same host individual, one has asymmetrical genitalia but the other has symmetrical genitalia. Both specimens have os as macrosetae, but the male with symmetrical genitalia has leg chaetotaxy similar to Ro ruficeps from Southeast Asia, whereas the male with asymmetrical genitalia has leg chaetotaxy that is intermediate between the two species groups (i.e. fIII-v2 absent but fII-v2 present). In addition, some male Rostrinirmus collected from P. domesticus indicus in Rajputana appear to belong to Rostrinirmus boevi , or are at least identical to males from P asser hispaniolensis transcaspicus collected at the same locality.

In summary, it appears that European Passer montanus and P. domesticus are both parasitised by Rostrinirmus ruficeps with symmetrical male genitalia, but outside Europe the situation is more complicated. Passer montanus in Southeast Asia are parasitised by Ro. ruficeps with asymmetrical male genitalia, and Ro. ruficeps with both asymmetrical and symmetrical male genitalia occur on P. montanus in India. Passer domesticus outside Europe are parasitised by different species in different geographical areas, including Ro. boevi in India and unidentified species of Rostrinirmus in Egypt and on Réunion. Our understanding of the distribution and relationships of these forms of Rostrinirmus are hampered by the scarce material available from Asia, and further collections are urgently needed for a genetic analysis of Ro. ruficeps .

Philopterus suzume was described from P. montanus saturatus by Uchida (1949), and the illustration shows the ocular macrosetae typical of Rostrinirmus ruficeps , which is not found in other Rostrinirmus (or other species of the Brueelia -complex). Uchida (1949: 548) also mentions having collected the same species of louse from Emberiza cioides ciopsis Bonaparte, 1850 , but it was supposedly mixed with “ Bitrabeculus subflavescens ”, a name used by early authors for a large number of Philopterus populations (see Ansari 1947: 268) and now considered unavailable ( Clay & Hopkins 1950). As we cannot confirm whether Uchida’s material from E. cioides ciopsis is Ro. ruficeps or another Rostrinirmus species, we do not list this host under Ro. ruficeps .

Figures

FIGURES 437 – 438. Rostrinirmus ruficeps (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866) ex Passer montanus malaccensis: 437, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 438, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 439 – 440. Rostrinirmus ruficeps (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866) ex Passer montanus malaccensis: 439, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 440, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.

FIGURES 441 – 450. Rostrinirmus buresi (Balát, 1958) n. comb. ex Emberiza bruniceps: 441 male genitalia, dorsal view. 442, male mesosome, ventral view. 443, male paramere, dorsal view. Rostrinirmus ruficeps (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866) ex Passer montanus malaccensis: 444, lateral head margin with os and pos, dorsal view. 445, male genitalia, dorsal view. 446, male mesosome, ventral view. 447, male paramere, dorsal view. Rostrinirmus ruficeps (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866) ex Passer montanus montanus (Linnaeus, 1758). 448, male genitalia, dorsal view. 449, male mesosome, ventral view. 450, male paramere, dorsal view.