Myrsidea carrikeri Eichler, 1943

Kounek, Filip, Sychra, Oldrich, Capek, Miroslav & Literak, Ivan, 2013, Chewing lice of genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from Turdidae (Passeriformes) of Costa Rica, with descriptions of seven new species, Zootaxa 3620 (2), pp. 201-222 : 206-207

Myrsidea carrikeri Eichler, 1943

Myrsidea carrikeri Eichler, 1943 : Zool. Anz., 141: 59.

Type host: Turdus grayi casius (Bonaparte, 1855) —Clay-colored Thrush

Material studied. One male, ex Turdus grayi , COSTA RICA: Braulio Carrillo National Park, Sector Barva (10˚07’N, 84˚07’W; 2600 m), 1 August 2010, Literak and Sychra leg. Two females and 3 males. Zona Protectora Las Tablas, La Amistad Lodge (8°54’N, 82°47’W; 1300 m), 20–21 August 2010, Sychra and Literak leg. Deposited in INBio (O.Sychra CR190–191) and MMBC (O.Sychra CR192).

Remarks. Our specimens differ from the redescription of M. carrikeri presented by Clay (1966) by setal counts and dimensions as follows [setal counts and dimensions mentioned by Clay (1966) are in parentheses]:

Female (n = 7). Tergal setae: II, 19–23 (20–22); III, 28–29 (23–28); IV, 30–31 (25–29); V, 30–32 (26–31); VI, 29–32 (23–29); VII, 21–25 (19–24); VIII, 15–18 (14–16). Postspiracular setae extremely long, 0.55–0.60, on II, IV; very long, 0.42, on VIII; long, 0.25–0.30, on I, III and VII; and short, 0.13–0.20, on V and VI. Sternal setae: III, 35–37 (28); IV, 46–49 (36–42); V, 44–49 (42–48); VI, 36–40 (31–36); VII, 18–19 (16); VIII–IX, 29–31 (24–33) including 10–14 (12–16) setae on vulval margin. Dimensions: HL, 0.33–0.34 (0.34–0.36); PW, 0.32 (0.34–0.35); MW, 0.51–0.53 (0.50–0.51); ANW, 0.28–0.30; TL, 1.66–1.70 (1.79).

Male (n = 4). Tergal setae, without median gap in each row: V, 22–26 (23–28); VI, 23–28 (22–25). Postspiracular setae extremely long, 0.45–0.55, on II, IV and VIII; long, 0.32–0.39, on I and VII; and short, 0.11–0.17, on III, V and VI. Sternal setae: II, 15–18 (16) marginal setae, 13–17 (10–12) anterior setae; III, 29–35 (28–31); V, 40–46 (37–39); VI, 37–41 (33–37); VII, 22–24 (19–20); IX, 12–13 (8–11); sternites III–VII without medioanterior setae. Dimensions: HL, 0.28–0.30 (0.30–0.33); PW, 0.28 (0.29–0.31); MW, 0.38–0.40 (0.36–0.38); AW, 0.51–0.53 (0.50); TL, 1.38–1.40 (1.43); GW, 0.11–0.12; GSL, 0.09.

Myrsidea cerrodelamuertensis Kounek and Sychra sp. nov. ( Figs 3–6 , 12 , 16 )

Type host: Catharus gracilirostris (Salvin, 1865) – Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush

Female (n = 3). As in Fig. 12 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites weakly developed ( Fig. 3 ). Length of DHS 10, 0.050; DHS 11, 0.100; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.50. Gula 4 setae on each side. Metasternal plate with 6 setae; metanotum not enlarged, with 6–7 marginal setae. Femur III with 13–15 setae in ventral setal brush.

Tergites not enlarged, with straight posterior margins ( Fig. 4 ). Tergal setae, with median gap in each row: I, 6; II, 12; III, 14–15; IV, 14; V, 13–15; VI, 14; VII, 13; VIII, 11–12. Postspiracular setae very long (0.40) on II, IV and VIII; long (0.30) on VII; and short (0.15–0.18) on I, III and V; VI (0.19–0.21). Sternal setae: II, 4 in each aster, 12–14 marginal setae between asters, 5–6 anterior; III, 14–16; IV, 30–32; V, 37–41; VI, 31–32; VII, 21–24; VIII–IX, 20–24 including 9–10 setae on deeply serrated vulval margin; with medioanterior setae on sternites: IV, 3–6; V, 6; VI, 5–6; VII, 4–5. Sternites not arched ( Fig. 4 ). Anal fringe formed by 29–30 dorsal and 24–27 ventral setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.42–0.43; HL, 0.28–0.29; PW, 0.25–0.26; MW, 0.41–0.43; AW, 0.58–0.60; ANW, 0.21–0.23; TL, 1.48–1.60.

Male (n = 3). As in Fig. 16 . Length of DHS 10, 0.045–0.050; DHS 11, 0.105; ratio DHS 10/11, 0.43–0.48. Metasternal plate with 5–6 and metanotum with 6 marginal setae.

Tergal setae with median gap in each row: I, 6; II, 9–10; III, 10–11; IV, 12–13; V, 14–15; VI, 11–12; VII, 13; VIII, 9–11. Sternal setae: 3–4 in each aster, 11 marginal setae between asters, II, 7 anterior; III, 10–14; IV, 26–28; V, 30; VI, 25–32; VII, 16; VIII, 10; with medioanterior setae on sternites: IV, 2–3; V 4–5; VI 3–4; VII 3–4. Genital sac sclerite of characteristic shape ( Figs 5–6 ) and unlike those of other Myrsidea from the Turdidae . Dimensions: TW, 0.38–0.39; HL, 0.26; PW, 0.23–0.24; MW, 0.33–0.34; AW, 0.45–0.48; TL, 1.22–1.24; GW, 0.11–0.12; GSL, 0.10–0.11.

Type material. Holotype female and paratype male (O.Sychra CR193), ex Catharus gracilirostris COSTA RICA: Tapanti National Park, Sector Cerro de la Muerte (9°33’N, 83°43’W; 3100 m), 13 August 2010, Sychra and Literak leg. Paratypes: 2 females and 2 males (O.Sychra CR194–195), with the same data as holotype. Deposited in INBio.

Remarks. Myrsidea cerrodelamuertensis sp. nov. is the second species of this louse genus recorded from Catharus gracilirostris . It differs greatly from M. rohi — described by Ansari (1956) from the same host but at a different location in Costa Rica — by its reduced hypopharyngeal sclerites ( Fig. 3 ). This character places M. cerrodelamuertensis sp. nov. close to M. sultanpurensis Ansari, 1951 from Myophonus caeruleus (Scopoli, 1786) from Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, both sexes of M. cerrodelamuertensis sp. can easily be distinguished from that species by: (1) absence of setae on sternite I, (2) presence of anterior setae on sternites IV–VII, and (3) smaller number of setae on metanotum (6–7 vs. 10–14). The male is also well-separated from those of other Myrsidea from the Turdidae by its unique genital sac sclerite ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology. The species epithet derives from the name of the type locality of this new louse species, the mountain Cerro de la Muerte (Death Mountain in Spanish).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. 1 – 2, Myrsidea assimilis: 1, female dorsoventral mesothorax, metathorax and abdomen. 2, male genital sac sclerite. 3 – 6, Myrsidea cerrodelamuertensis: 3, hypopharyngeal sclerites. 4, female dorsoventral mesothorax, methathorax and abdomen. 5, male genital sac sclerite. 6, male genital sac sclerite distorted. Scale bars = 0.5 mm for all figures.

FIGURES 11 – 14. Holotype females: 11, Myrsidea assimilis. 12, Myrsidea cerrodelamuertensis. 13, Myrsidea hrabaki. 14, Myrsidea obsoleti.

FIGURES 15 – 18. Paratype males: 15, Myrsidea assimilis. 16, Myrsidea cerrodelamuertensis. 17, Myrsidea hrabaki. 18, Myrsidea obsoleti.