Brueelia kluzi Balat , 1955

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Oslejskova, Lucie, Najer, Tomas, Sychra, Oldrich & Zou, Fasheng, 2019, Redescriptions of thirteen species of chewing lice in the Brueelia - complex (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera, Philopteridae), with one new synonymy and a neotype designation for Nirmus lais Giebel, 1874, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 66 (1), pp. 17-39 : 23

Brueelia kluzi Balat, 1955 Figs 27-28 , 29-33

Brueelia kluzi Balát, 1955: 512.

Type host.

Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758, chaffinch ( Fringillidae ).

Type locality.

Lednice, Czechia.

Description.

Both sexes. Head flat-dome shaped (Fig. 29 ), lateral margins of preantennal area convex, frons rounded to slightly flattened. Marginal carina moderate in width, shallowly displaced and widened at osculum, median margin undulating. Ventral anterior plate small, shield-shaped. Head chaetotaxy and pigmentation patterns as in Figure 29 ; head sensilla and pts not visible in examined specimens. Preantennal nodi with slight median bulge. Preocular nodi larger than post-ocular nodi. Marginal temporal carina moderate in width, undulating. Gular plate not entirely clear in examined specimens, but roughly lanceolate. Thoracic and abdominal segments and pigmentation patterns as in Figures 27 , 28 .

Male. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Figure 27 ; ss not visible on tergopleurite VIII in any examined male, but likely present if more specimens are examined. Basal apodeme not clearly visible in any examined males, and here illustrated approximately (Fig. 30 ); seemingly slender, with lateral margins concave. Proximal mesosome elongated, trapezoidal with concave lateral margins (Fig. 31 ). Mesosomal lobes broad, highly convergent distally; rugose area limited to distal margin. Gonopore longer than wide. Parameres slender, elongated distally (Fig. 32 ); pst1-2 not visible in examined males. Measurements (n = 4): TL = 1.32-1.41; HL = 0.31-0.32; HW = 0.24-0.25; PRW = 0.15-0.17; PTW = 0.23-0.25; AW = 0.30-0.36.

Female. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Figure 28 . Subgenital plate roughly rectangular, with narrow connection to cross-piece (Fig. 33 ). Vulval margin rounded laterally, but roughly flat or slightly rounded medianly, with 4 short, slender vms and 4 or 5 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 3 short, slender vos on each side of subgenital plate; distal 1 vos median to vss. Measurements (n = 11): TL = 1.59-1.76 (1.68); HL = 0.35-0.37 (0.36); HW = 0.27-0.29 (0.28); PRW = 0.18-0.20 (0.19); PTW = 0.27-0.29 (0.28); AW = 0.35-0.41 (0.39).

Type material.

Lectotype 1♂, Lednice, Czechia, 26 Mar. 1953, F. Balát, 1138 (MMBC). Paralectotype. 1♀, same data as lectotype (MMBC).

Non-type material. 3♂, 8♀, same data as lectotype (MMBC). 1♀, Točná, Czechia, 23 May 1938, leg. K. Pfleger, Pfl13 (MMBC). 1♀, Skanör, Sweden, 12 Nov. 1963, F. Balát, 1315 (MMBC). 1♀, Břeclav - Kančí obora, Czechia, 22 May 1953, F. Balát, 1477 (MMBC).

Remarks.

Balát (1955) did not explicitly designate a holotype, but mentioned one male and one female on slide 15/53 (= number on host’s ring, current slide number 1138) as types; these comprise the syntype series. This is confirmed by Balát’s handwritten notes on the slide label. In addition, he mentioned three males and eight females from the same host specimen, and one female from a different host as additional material. These are all present in the Balát collection at the MMBC. We hereby select the male on slide 1138 as the lectotype, and one of the females on the same slide as a paralectotype. These have been marked on the slide with dark spots.

All examined specimens in Brno are poorly cleared, and many are still attached to feather fragments that further obscure the morphology. As a result, thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy and plates are not always clearly visible, and are here illustrated as accurately as possible. Vulval setae only clearly visible in one female, and range of variation may be greater than given above if more specimens are examined.

Figures

Figures 27, 28. Brueelia kluzi Balat, 1955, ex Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 27 Male habitus, dorsal and ventral views 28 Female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

Figures 29 - 33. Brueelia kluzi Balat, 1955, ex Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 29 Male head, dorsal and ventral views 30 Male genitalia, dorsal view 31 Male mesosome, ventral view 32 Male paramere, dorsal view 33 Female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view.