Aratricerca macki Gustafsson, Zou & Bush, 2022

Gustafsson, Daniel R., Zou, Fasheng & Bush, Sarah E., 2022, Descriptions of six new species of slender-bodied chewing lice of the Resartor-group (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Brueelia-complex), Zootaxa 5104 (4), pp. 506-530 : 511-514

Aratricerca macki Gustafsson, Zou & Bush , new species

( Figs 8–14 )

Type host. Melidectes princeps Mayr & Gilliard, 1951 —long-bearded melidectes ( Meliphagidae )

Other host. Ptiloprora perstriata perstriata (de Vis, 1898) —gray-streaked honeyeater ( Meliphagidae ).

Type locality. Kawongu , Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea .

Diagnosis. Aratricerca macki n. sp. is most similar to A. cirithra Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 , with which is shares the following characters: head trapezoidal ( Fig. 10 ); preantennal area angular ( Fig. 10 ); ventral anterior plate present ( Fig. 10 ); female tergopleurite XI not sclerotised and not fused with tergopleurite IX+X ( Fig. 9 ); female tergopleurite IX+X not fused medianly ( Fig. 9 ); distal end of female subgenital plate does not reach vulval margin ( Fig. 14 ); male parameres without modifications ( Fig. 12 ); male abdominal segment XI clearly extended into largely transparent tail ( Fig. 8 ); male subgenital plate does not reach terminal end of abdomen ( Fig. 8 ).

Aratricerca macki and A. cirithra differ in the following characters: head shape subtriangular, with wider temples and proportionately narrower preantennal area in A. macki ( Fig. 10 ) than in A. cirithra ; median thickening of dorsal anterior plate in A. macki ( Fig. 10 ), but absent in A. cirithra ; male abdominal segment VI with 1 ps on each side in A. macki ( Fig. 8 ) but with 2 ps on each side in A. cirithra ; proximal mesosome tapering in A. macki ( Fig. 13 ) but with anterior bulges on each side in A. cirithra ; distal margin of mesosome bulging and slightly fringed in A. cirithra , but straight and smooth in A. macki ( Fig. 13 ); female sternite III with anterior thickening in A. cirithra but without such thickening in A. macki ( Fig. 9 ).

Description. Both sexes. Head trapezoidal ( Fig. 10 ), lateral margins of preantennal area straight. Frons narrow and flattened. Dorsal anterior plate rectangular, with thickenings medianly and laterally.Attachments of mandibular adductor muscles prominent. Ventral anterior plate present. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 10 . Coni short. Gular plate small, short. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in Figs 8–9 .

Male. Tail of abdominal segment XI long, hyaline. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 8 ; 1 ps on each side of segment VI; tail with 1 ventral, 2 marginal, and 1 dorsal setae on each side. Basal apodeme ( Fig. 11 ) slender, roughly rectangular, with rounded anterior end. Proximal mesosome tapering; mesosomal lobes wide, angular; section lateral to gonopore slightly rounded, without rugosities or papillae; 2 gpmes microsetae on each side of gonopore, which is widely open proximally but narrowly open distally ( Fig. 13 ). Parameres ( Fig. 12 ) with bifid head, and oval blades; pst2 sensilla on terminal end. Measurements ex Melidectes princeps (n = 3): TL = 2.43–2.55; HL = 0.46–0.48; HW = 0.37–0.41; PRW = 0.27–0.28; PTW = 0.29–0.31; AW = 0.47–0.51. Measurements ex Ptiloprora perstriata perstriata (n = 5, except TL where n = 3, and AW where n = 4): TL = 2.29–2.50; HL = 0.41–0.49; HW = 0.36–0.43; PRW = 0.24–0.30; PTW = 0.25–0.31; AW = 0.38–0.49.

Female. Tergopleurites IX+X separated medianly. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 9 . Sternal plate III with no antero-lateral thickenings. Subgenital plate as in Fig. 14 ; vulval margin (in material from type host species) with 6–9 long, slender vms on each side, and 7–9 (1 female with 10 on each side) short, thorn-like vss on each side; 5–7 long, slender vos on each side; distally 1–2 vos on posterior margin of subgenital plate, median to vss, and 1 vos more distally. Material from P. p. perstriata with 4–7 vms, 5–8 vss, and 4–6 vos on each side; size, shape, and distribution as in material from type host. Measurements ex Melidectes princeps (n = 9, except AW where n = 7): TL = 2.33–2.93; HL = 0.48–0.53; HW = 0.43–0.47; PRW = 0.29–0.32; PTW = 0.31–0.35; AW =0.46–0.60. Measurements ex Ptiloprora perstriata perstriata (n = 10, except TL and AW where n = 8): TL = 2.48–2.80; HL = 0.42–0.45 (0.44); HW = 0.38–0.40 (0.39); PRW = 0.25–0.28 (0.27); PTW = 0.27–0.30 (0.29); AW = 0.43–0.50.

Type material. Ex Melidectes princeps : Holotype ♂, Kawongu , elev. 7200 ft, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, 16 Jun. 1963, H. Clissold, BBM-NG-28139 ( BPBM) . Paratypes: 1♂, 1♀, same data as holotype ( BPBM) ; 1♀, same locality and collector as holotype, 15 Jun. 1963, BBM-NG-28128 ( BPBM) ; 1♂, 7♀, same locality and collector as holotype, 14 Jun. 1963, BBM-NG-28123 ( BPBM) .

Non-types: Ex Ptiloprora perstriata perstriata : 1♂, Kawongu , elev. 7200 ft, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, 15 Jun. 1963, H. Clissold, BBM-NG-28127 ( BPBM) ; 1♂, 6♀, 1 nymph, Tomba , elev. 8000 ft, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, 25 May 1963, H. Clissold, BBM-NG-27934 ( BPBM) ; 2♂, 4♀, Lake Louise , elev. 7800 ft, 17 miles WNW Telefomin, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, 14 Apr. 1971, A.B. Mirza, BBM-NG-100043 ( BPBM) .

Ex Ptiloprora sp. : 2♀, NE Tambul, elev. 2700 m, [Western Highlands Province], Papua New Guinea, 2 Oct. 1968, M. Nadchatrum & A.B. Mirza, BBM-NG-97437 ( BPBM) .

Etymology. The species epithet is in honour of Dr Andrew L. Mack, (Penn State University, Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.SA.), in recognition of his work on the ecology and conservation of biodiversity in Papua New Guinea.

Remarks. Specimens from Ptiloprora perstriata perstriata have slightly wider and longer heads than those from the type host, and some fewer setae in all three sets of vulval setae, but their numbers overlap. Therefore, we consider the material from both host species as conspecific.

Figures

FIGURES 8–9. Aratricerca macki n. sp. 8, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 9, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 10–14. Aratricerca macki n. sp. 10, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 11, male genitalia, dorsal view. 12, male paramere, dorsal view. 13, male mesosome, ventral view. 14, female subgenital plate and vulva margin, ventral view.

FIGURES 1–2. Aratricerca cerata n. sp. 1, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 2, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views. Abbreviations: ps—paratergal seta; ss—sutural seta; sts—sternal seta.