Myrsidea markhafneri Price, Johnson

Price, Roger D., Johnson, Kevin P. & Dalgleish, Robert C., 2008, Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from saltators and grosbeaks (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae), Zootaxa 1873, pp. 1-10 : 4-6

Myrsidea markhafneri Price, Johnson , and Dalgleish, new species

( Figs. 8–9 )

Type host. Saltator grossus (Linnaeus, 1766) , the Slate-colored Grosbeak.

Female. Head with strongly developed hypopharyngeal sclerites; gula usually with 5 setae on each side, less often 6. Dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen as in Fig. 9 . Metanotal posterior margin with 11–13 setae; metasternal plate with 6–7 setae. Tergite I of normal size, tergite II moderately enlarged with pronounced rounded medioposterior convexity, resulting in slight compression of tergites III–IV. Each tergal setal row with distinct median gap. Tergal setae: I, 15–17; II, 10–12; III, 13–14; IV, 15–16; V, 17–19; VI, 17–20; VII, 18–19; VIII, 9–12. Postspiracular setae on V–VI about 0.20 long, III 0.30 long, and VII extremely long (0.40). Pleurites: I–IV with relatively uniform short setae; V-VII with fine longer setae toward midline; VIII with long seta flanked on each side by much shorter seta. Sternal setae: II, 4 in each aster, 17–19 marginal between asters, 7–9 anterior; III, 28–29; IV, 55–61; V, 59–66; VI, 50–61; VII, 19; VIII–IX, 21–24. Anus with 36 ventral, 37–42 dorsal fringe setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.51–0.54; HL, 0.33–0.34; PW, 0.32–0.34; MW, 0.50–0.54; AWIV, 0.65–0.73; ANW, 0.23–0.26; TL, 1.63–1.68.

Male. Head, thorax, median gap in abdominal tergal setal rows, lengths of postspiracular setae, and chaetotaxy of abdominal pleurites as for female ( Fig. 8 ), except for 10–13 marginal metanotal setae, 6 metasternal plate setae, and no median gap in tergal setal row on I. Tergal setae: I, 16–19; II, 12–15; III, 13–15; IV, 15–17; V, 16–20; VI, 16–20; VII, 16–18; VIII, 9–12. Sternal setae: II, 4 in each aster, less often 3, 15–17 marginal between asters, 6–11 anterior; III, 23–27; IV, 41–52; V, 50–55; VI, 44–50; VII, 20–23; VIII, 5–6. Genitalia and genital sac sclerite as for M. lightae ( Figs. 2, 3 ). Dimensions: TW, 0.46–0.48; HL, 0.31–0.33; PW, 0.29– 0.31; MW, 0.39–0.42; AWIV, 0.51–0.55; GL, 0.42–0.47; TL, 1.38–1.42.

Type material. Holotype female (to USNM)), ex S. grossus , PERU (Northeast): Explor Napa Camp, Rio Napa, SE Iquitos, 14 June 1989, RCD et al. Paratypes: (to INHS) 1 female, 1 male, (to USNM) 1 female, 4 males, same data as holotype.

Remarks. This is the third and final species treated in this paper for which both sexes have the abdominal tergal setal rows with a pronounced median gap. The female of M. markhafneri is recognizable from the others by having tergite I relatively unmodified and a more modest development of tergite II ( Fig. 9 vs. Figs. 1, 5 ). The consistently larger dimensions and very large number of abdominal sternal setae will further separate both sexes of this species from those of M. johnklickai . The large dimensions and certain other features more resemble M. lightae , but both sexes of M. markhafneri have only four, less often three, setae in each sternite II aster, have fewer setae on the metanotal margin and each of tergites II-IV, and more setae on sternites V and VI.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Mark Hafner, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in recognition of his work on louse systematics and coevolution.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 9. 7. Myrsidea johnklickai, male dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen. 8 – 9. M. markhafneri. 8. Male dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen. 9. Female dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen.

FIGURES 1 – 6. 1 – 4. Myrsidea lightae. 1. Female dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen. 2. Male genitalia. 3. Male genital sac sclerite. 4. Male dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen. 5 – 6. M. johnklickai. 5. Female dorsoventral metathorax and abdomen. 6. Male genital sac sclerite.