Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus Gustafsson & Bush, 2017

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 : 250-255

Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus Gustafsson & Bush , new species

( Figs 413–419 )

Type host. Cinnyricinclus leucogaster verreauxi (Bocage, 1870) — violet-backed starling. Type locality. 15° 46’ S, 34° 28’ E, Mozambique.

Diagnosis. Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus n. sp. is the only known species in its group, and separated from all other species of Sturnidoecus by the shape and structure of the male genitalia ( Figs 392 , 416–418 ). The paired hooks on the distal margin of the mesosome are also found in the St. australafricanus n. sp. ( Fig. 384 ) , St. basilewskyi ( Fig. 385 ), St. pastoris ( Fig. 390 ), and St. sturni ( Fig. 397 ) species-groups. However, St. porphyrogenitus is the only species with wide, roughly rectangular mesosomal lobes with angular antero-lateral processes. Uniquely within Sturnidoecus , the ames of St. porphyrogenitus are shorter than the pmes, and the ames are situated laterally to the pmes, rather than anterior to these ( Fig. 417 ). Abdominal chaetotaxy of St. porphyrogenitus is distinct within the genus ( Table 11), in that aps and psps are absent in more anterior segements in both sexes. This pattern is similar to that found in St. mon n. sp. and St. australafricanus , but in these species both sexes have psps on tergopleurite IV, whereas in St. porphyrogenitus there are no psps on tergopleurite IV. Female St. porphyrogenitus best separated from other species of Sturnidoecus by the U-shaped thickening of the distal subgenital plate, which is not found in any other Sturnidoecus .

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 415 ; as1 present. Preantennal nodi slender, pointed. Coni long, clearly reaching beyond distal margin of scapes. Preocular nodi small. Postocular nodi small, not much wider than marginal temporal carina; pos on posterior end of nodi. Gular plate short, squat, with median point. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 413–414 . Posterior margin of pterothorax convergent with distinct median bulge. Sternal plates moderate, present on segments II–VI in both sexes.

Male. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 11 and Fig. 413 . Male genitalia as in genus and species group descriptions and Figs 391 , 416–418 . Measurements ex Cinnyricinclus leucogaster verreauxi (n = 2): TL = 1.40– 1.41; HL = 0.42–0.44; HW = 0.41–0.43; PRW = 0.24–0.25; PTW = 0.37; AW = 0.61–0.64.

Female. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 11 and Fig. 414 . Subgenital plate rounded triangular, not reaching vulval margin, and with distinct U-shaped thickening at distal end ( Fig. 419 ). Vulval margin ( Fig. 419 ) bulging slightly in median section, with 6–8 long, slender vms on each side, and 10–12 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 5– 6 short, slender vos on each side; distal 2 vos near vss. Measurements ex Cinnyricinclus leucogaster verreauxi (n = 3): TL = 1.47–1.62; HL = 0.40–0.46; HW = 0.43–0.46; PRW = 0.24–0.27; PTW = 0.38–0.40; AW = 0.51–0.66.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from Greek “ Porphyrogénnētos ”, which was the honorary title given to sons or daughters of the reigning Byzantine emperor, meaning “born in the Purple [Chamber]”, a part of the Great Palace of Constantinople. It is thus a fitting name for a louse parasitising one of the few species of purple birds.

Type material. Ex Cinnyricinclus leucogaster verreauxi [as C. leucogaster ]: Holotype ♂, 15° 46’ S, 34° 28’ E, Mozambique, 12 Oct. 1964, A.L. Moore, A-122 (NHML). Paratypes: 1♂, 2♀, same data as holotype (NHML).

Remarks. Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus was included in Bush et al. (2016: specimen 323).

Figures

FIGURES 413 – 414. Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus n. sp. ex Cinnyricinclus leucogaster verreauxi: 413, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 414, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 415 – 419. Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus n. sp. ex Cinnyricinclus leucogaster verreauxi: 415, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 416, male genitalia, dorsal view. 417, male mesosome, ventral view. 418, male paramere, dorsal view. 419, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.

FIGURES 390 – 395. Dorsal views of Sturnidoecus male genitalia representing all species groups (setae transposed to dorsal side for clarity): 390, Sturnidoecus pastoris (Denny, 1842) (St. pastoris group). 391, Sturnidoecus porphyrogenitus n. sp. (St. porphyrogenitus group). 392, Sturnidoecus senegalensis (Rudow, 1896) (St. senegalensis group). 393, Sturnidoecus senegalensis (Rudow, 1896) (part of ventral view of mesosome showing the two ventral hooks). 394, Sturnidoecus simplex (Kellogg, 1896) (St. simplex group). 395 Sturnidoecus somnodraco n. sp. (St. somnodraco group).

FIGURES 384 – 389. Dorsal views of Sturnidoecus male genitalia representing all species groups (setae transposed to dorsal side for clarity): 384, Sturnidoecus australafricanus n. sp. (St. australafricanus group). 385, Sturnidoecus basilewskyi Tendeiro, 1963 (St. basilewskyi group). 386, Sturnidoecus clayae Ansari, 1968 (St. clayae group). 387, Sturnidoecus clayae Ansari, 1968 (part of ventral view of mesosome showing the triangular extensions). 388, Sturnidoecus meinertzhageni Ansari, 1968 (St. meinertzhageni group). 389, Sturnidoecus mon n. sp. (St. mon group).

FIGURES 396 – 398. Dorsal views of Sturnidoecus male genitalia representing all species groups (setae transposed to dorsal side for clarity): 396, Sturnidoecus sturni (Schrank, 1776) (St. sturni group). 397, Sturnidoecus wittei Tendeiro, 1963 (St. wittei group). 398, Sturnidoecus wittei Tendeiro, 1963 (part of ventral view of mesosome showing single hook).