Manucodicola asymmetricus, Mey, 2017

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Bush, Sarah E. & Palma, Ricardo L., 2019, The genera and species of the Brueelia - complex (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) described by Mey (2017), Zootaxa 4615 (2), pp. 252-284 : 266

Manucodiacus asymmetricus phonygammicolus Mey, 2017

Manucodiacus asymmetricus phonygammicolus Mey, 2017: 141, pl. X: fig. 3.

Manucodicola asymmetrica phonygammicola . New combination, species subspecies inquirenda.

Type host: Phonygammus keraudrenii purpurviollaceus Meyer, 1885 —trumpet manucode.

Type locality: Southern New Guinea .

Remarks. We agree with Mey (2017: 182) that Manucodiacus asymmetricus phonygammicolus may be a junior synonym of Manucodicola semiramisae Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 . The number of sternal plates anterior to the subgenital plate is not given, but appears to be two in the photograph of the holotype ( Mey 2017: pl. X: fig. 3), as in Mn. semiramisae . However, only a photograph of the single known headless female specimen of M. a. phonygammicolus is provided, and therefore we cannot be absolutely certain of the synonymy at present, and we prefer to regard this taxon as species subspecies inquirenda.

We strongly oppose describing new taxa from a single female specimen without head ( Mey 2017: pl. X: fig. 3) because characters of the head and male genitalia are diagnostically the most important in this taxonomic complex.