Myrsidea borbonici Hellenthal and Price

Hellenthal, Ronald A. & Price, Roger D., 2003, The genus Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae), with descriptions of 16 new species, Zootaxa 354, pp. 1-20 : 13

Myrsidea borbonici Hellenthal and Price , new species ( Fig. 13 )

Type host. Hypsipetes borbonicus (J. R. Forster) .

Male (3). Close to M. ochracei , differing as follows. Sternal setae: III, 12–14. Genitalia as in Fig. 4 , but with genital sac sclerite as in Fig. 13 . Dimensions: TW, 0.44–0.46; HL, 0.31–0.32; LSVII, 0.10–0.13; TL, 1.33–1.37; GL, 0.39–0.42; GSW, 0.036.

Female (5). Close to M. ochracei , differing as follows. Tergal setae: III, 19–23; IV, 20–26; V, 19–21; VI, 17–20; VII, 13–17; VIII, 15–18. Sternal setae: III, 22–27; VIII, 24– 32. Dimensions: TW, 0.49–0.53; HL, 0.33–0.35; PW, 0.31–0.33; MW, 0.46–0.50; AWIV, 0.64–0.70; TL, 1.65–1.77.

Type material. Ex H. borbonicus , the Olivaceous Bulbul, holotype male, Tokomoko, REUNION, 15 Mar. 1981, N. Barré. Paratypes, all ex H. borbonicus in REUNION: 2 males, 2 females, same as holotype; 3 females, same except 15 Aug. 1981.

Remarks. While both sexes of M. borbonici are morphologically close to those of M. ochracei , they may be separated by the unique male genital sac sclerite and the female with larger dimensions and more tergal and sternal setae.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 15. 8, Myrsidea kathleenae male genital sac sclerite. 9, M. warwicki female metanotal margin and dorsoventral abdomen. 10 – 14, Male genital sac sclerite. 10, M. plumosi. 11, M. adamsae. 12, M. ochracei. 13, M. borbonici. 14, M. johnsoni. 15, M. palmai male metanotal margin and dorsoventral abdomen.

FIGURES 1 – 7. 1 – 5, Myrsidea pycnonoti. 1, Dorsoventral male. 2, Ventral male terminalia. 3, Female metanotal margin and dorsoventral abdomen. 4, Male genitalia. 5, Male genital sac sclerite. 6, M. phillipsi male genital sac sclerite. 7, M. gieferi male ventral terminalia.