Turdinirmus merulensis ( Denny, 1842 )

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 : 119-120

Turdinirmus merulensis ( Denny, 1842)

( Figs 182–188 )

Nirmus merulensis Denny, 1842: 51 .

Nirmus merulae Denny, 1852: 18 .

Nirmus mandarinus Giglioli, 1864: 23 .

Degeeriella mandarina Giglioli, 1864 ; Harrison, 1916: 117.

Degeeriella merulae Denny, 1852 ; Harrison, 1916: 118 [as junior synonym of D. merulensis ]. Degeeriella merulensis Denny, 1842 ; Harrison, 1916: 118.

Turdinirmus merulensis (Denny) ; Eichler, 1951b: 15.

Turdinirmus mandarinus (Giglioli) ; Eichler, 1951b: 15.

Brueelia mandarina ( Giglioli), 1864 ; Hopkins & Clay, 1952: 58 [as junior synonym of Bl. merulensis ]. Brueelia merulae ( Denny), 1852 ; Hopkins & Clay, 1952: 58 [as junior synonym of Bl. merulensis ]. Brueelia merulensis ( Denny), 1842 ; Hopkins & Clay, 1952: 58. Turdinirmus merulensis s. str. ( Denny, 1842); Złotorzycka, 1997: 176.

Type host. Turdus merula merula Linnaeus, 1758 — Eurasian blackbird.

Type locality. Leeds, United Kingdom.

Other hosts. Turdus merula aterrimus (Madarasz, 1903) — Eurasian blackbird [Ref.: Blagoveshchensky 1940]. Turdus merula mandarinus Bonaparte, 1850 — Eurasian blackbird. Turdus merula syriacus Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833 — Eurasian blackbird. Turdus pallidus Gmelin, 1789 — pale thrush [Ref.: Eichler 1951: 15].

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 184 . In some specimens dorsal preantennal suture reaches lateral margin of head. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 183–184 .

Male. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 183 . Basal apodeme elongated trapezoidal ( Fig. 185 ). Proximal mesosome flattened trapezoidal, comparatively large for genus. Gonopore ( Fig. 186 ) as convergent ventral thickenings, open distally and proximally. Mesosomal lobes wide, thickened marginally, with papillate sections submedianly; 2–3 pmes clustered very closely together near distal margin of mesosome, often not visible. Parameral heads ( Fig. 187 ) bifid, fingers broad and blunt. Parameral blades broad, roughly triangular; pst1–2 as in genus description. Measurements ex Turdus merula merula (n = 26): TL = 1.78–2.07 (1.96); HL = 0.47–0.52 (0.49); HW = 0.49–0.55 (0.52); PRW = 0.27–0.33 (0.31); PTW = 0.40–0.47 (0.43); AW = 0.52–0.67 (0.60). Ex T. m. syriacus (n = 3): TL = 1.95–2.07; HL = 0.49–0.51; HW =0.52–0.56; PRW = 0.31–0.32; PTW = 0.40–0.43; AW = 0.52–0.55. Ex T. pallidus (n = 2): TL = 1.95–1.97; HL = 0.50–0.51; HW = 0.52–0.53; PRW = 0.30–0.31; PTW = 0.43–0.44; AW = 0.59–0.63.

Female. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 184 . Subgenital plate ( Fig. 188 ) roughly pentagonal, with wide median section approaching vulval margin. Vulval margin ( Fig. 188 ) gently rounded, with submarginal fold along most of length; 9–10 short, slender vms on each side, and 9–11 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 4–5 long, slender vos on each side; distal vos median to vss. Measurements ex Turdus merula merula (n = 32): TL = 1.99–2.54 (2.24); HL = 0.47–0.57 (0.52); HW = 0.51–0.63 (0.56); PRW = 0.28–0.36 (0.33); PTW = 0.41–0.53 (0.46); AW = 0.47–0.75 (0.65). Ex T. m. syriacus (n = 3): TL = 2.23–2.31; HL = 0.52–0.53; HW = 0.56–0.57; PRW = 0.33–0.34; PTW = 0.45–0.46; AW = 0.55–0.62. Ex T. pallidus (n = 4): TL = 2.07–2.32; HL = 0.51–0.56; HW = 0.54–0.61; PRW = 0.31–0.35; PTW = 0.44–0.49; AW = 0.62–0.64.

Type material. Ex Turdus merula merula : Holotype ♂, Leeds, England, Denny Collection, BM 1952-98 ( NHML) . Paratypes: 11♀, same data as holotype ( NHML) .

Additional material examined (non-types)

Ex Turdus merula merula : 6♂, 13♀, Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Oct. 1938 ( OSUS); 10♂, 10♀, same locality as previous, Aug. 1938, G.H.E. Hopkins ( NHML); 3♂, 12♀, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1936, R. Meinertzhagen, 11644 ( NHML); 26♂, 50♀, same locality as previous, Aug. 1938, R. Meinertzhagen, 11279–80, 11421 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom, Jan. 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 89 ( NHML); 4♀, Scotland, United Kingdom, Jun. 1938, P.A. Clancey, BM 1980-40 ( NHML); 4♂, 1♀, Arran, Scotland, United Kingdom, Oct. 1943, R. Meinertzhagen, 14876, 14895 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Perthshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, Oct. 1935, R. Meinertzhagen, 4330 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Fair Isle, Shetlands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 27 May 1955, Brit. Mus. 1955-785 ( NHML); 2♂, 1♀, same locality as previous, 18 Jun. 1954, 29693, Brit. Mus. 1954-566 ( NHML); 1♂, Thibisten [?], Shetlands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 20 oct. 1910, J. W[aterston?], BM 1930-232. 1♀, Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, 287 ( NHML); 1♂, 8♀, Llandulas, Denbighshire, Wales, United Kingdom, 6 Apr. 1936, M. Mitchell, BM 1980-40 ( NHML) [marked “compared with type ”]. 1♂, 4♀, Bed Colwyn, Denbighshire, Wales, United Kingdom, 6 Apr. 1936, M. Mitchell, BM 1989-40 ( NHML); 1♀, Bardsey Island, Wales, United Kingdom, 14 Nov. 1952, G.B. T[hompson?], BM- 1980-40 ( NHML); 1♀, same data as previous, except 17 Nov. 1952 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, “Northern Norfolk ”, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, 30 Jun. 1969, M. Payne, Brit. Mus. 1970-259 ( NHML); 3♂, 1♀, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Jan. 1940, R Meinertzhagen, 14040 ( NHML); 8♂, 20♀, Kent, England, United Kingdom, Feb. 1937, R. Meinertzhagen, 8333 ( NHML); 2♀, The Thorn, Baltham[?], Kent, England, United Kingdom, 11 Jul. 1931, G.B. Thompson, BM 1980-40 ( NHML); 5♂, 5♀, Bowan[?], Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom, 29 May 1952, G.B. Thompson, BM 1980-40 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Hereford [Herefordshire], England, United Kingdom, 31 Oct. 1963, Eskgrove Lab, Brit. Mus. 1964-102 ( NHML); 2♂, 6♀, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom, Aug. 1936, R. Meinertzhagen, 4918 ( NHML); 4♀, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom, May 1935, R. Meinertzhagen, 3456 ( NHML); 5♂, 3♀, Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom, 17 Jun. 1950, L. Ottaway, BM 1980-40 ( NHML); 4♀, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, May 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 910 ( NHML); 2♂, 2♀, Surrey, England, United Kingdom, 16 Jun. 1966, Lasswade Veterinary Lab, Brit. Mus. 1967-154 ( NHML); 4♂, 4♀, Lundy Bird Observatory, England, United Kingdom, 28 Jul. 1952, BM 1980-40 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom, R.S. George, Brit. Mus. 1957-297 ( NHML); 3♀, Blois [Loir-et-Cher], France, May 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 1046 ( NHML); 1♂, 2♀, “NE Poland ”, Poland, Aug. 1935, R. Meinertzhagen, 4136 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 30 Oct. 1954, S. Brelih, 1568–70 ( NHML); 1♂, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 5 Aug. 1958, S. Brelih, 424 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Senj [as “Zengg”], Croatia, 10 Jan. 1912, F. Dobiasch ( NHML); 3♂, 3♀, Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, 29 Oct. 1962, G.A. Samuelson, 207A, Brit. Mus. 1966-201 ( NHML); 1♂, 1♀, same locality as previous, 24 Dec. 1966, D.S.I.R., N.Z., Brit. Mus. 1968-401 ( NHML); 22♀, Tharandt, Germany [?], 29 May 1948, H. Richter, IN 1296/4/2 ( MFNB) [stomachs of these lice are on a separate slide]. 1♀, Seidelbadsee, Germany [?], 5 Jul. 1952 ( MFNB) [taken from Ornithomyia avicularia ]. 1♂, 2♀, Kent, England, United Kingdom, May 1937, R. Meinertzhagen, 10689 [Meinertzhagen No.], 930 [Eichler No.] ( MFNB); 1♀, Zelistnewo, Poland, 17 Sep. 1962, Gromadzki, 14/e/33 ( MFNB); 4♂, 5♀, Zawiercie, Poland, 4 Aug. 1955, J. Złotorzycka, 8451, 8453–60 ( PMSL); 1♂, 5♀, Tolmin, Slovenia, 18 Jun. 1958, S. Brelih, 332, 1560–2, 6272–3 ( PMSL); 1♀, Most na Soci, Slovenia, 17 Jun. 1958, S. Brelih, 429 ( PMSL); 2♀, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 30 Oct. 1951, S. Brelih, 426, 1569 ( PMSL); 4♂, 2♀, Dolenjsko, Slovenia, 30 Mar. 1955, S. Brelih, 493–8 ( PMSL); 1♂, Slovenia, 30 May 1955, S. Brelih, 6274 ( PMSL); 1♀, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 1 Feb. 1977, A. Lesinger, 13103 ( PMSL).

Ex Turdus merula mandarinus : 4♂, 2♀, China, Aug. 1913, R. Meinertzhagen, 3714 ( NHML).

Ex Turdus merula syriacus : 3♂, 3♀, “ Eastern Entrance of Tange-eh-Rah ”, Iran, 26 Jun. 1969, 126 ( OSUS) ; 2♂, 4♀, Palestine, Apr. 1953, R. Meinertzhagen, BM 1953-225 ( NHML) .

Ex Turdus merula ssp.: 6♀, unknown locality, marked “ Entomology Mallophaga Louse of Blackbird ”, BM 1980-40 ( NHML) ; 1♀, unknown locality, 1914 (NHML); 3♂, 6♀, unknown locality, Eichler Collection , 1932 ( MFNB) ; 1♂, unknown locality, Wolffhügel , IN1278/64 ( MFNB) .

Ex Turdus philomelos [as Turdus musicus ]: 2♂, unknown locality (NHML).

Remarks. Złotorzycka's (1997: 177) illustration of the male genitalia is based on an individual with distorted mesosomal lobes and parameres that are largely hidden behind the mesosome, and are not representative. We tentatively include in Turdinirmus merulensis the two male lice we examined from Turdus philomelos , because they are are similar to males from Turdus merula ssp. but , unfortunately, the genitalia of both specimens are distorted. Additional material from T. philomelos is needed to determine more accurately the taxonomic placement of these lice.

Figures

FIGURES 182 – 183. Turdinirmus merulensis (Denny, 1842) ex Turdus merula: 182, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 183, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 184 – 188. Turdinirmus merulensis (Denny, 1842) ex Turdus merula: 184, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 185, male genitalia, dorsal view. 186, male mesosome, ventral view. 187, male paramere, dorsal view. 188, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.