Ectinorus hirsutus Hastriter, 2009

Hastriter, Michael, 2009, A description of four new species of fleas (Insecta, Siphonaptera) from Angola, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, and Peru, ZooKeys 8 (8), pp. 39-61 : 55-60

Ectinorus hirsutus Hastriter , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:504801F4-E773-4B8B-99B5-A1387A59A991

( Figs. 32 -40 )

Type Material. Holotype, ♁; Peru: Yauli Province, Junin Department , 15.3 km N La Oroyo [̴ 11°23’51”S, 75°53’10”W], 3963 m elev., ex. Neotomys sp., 15 VI 1964, T.B. Seifert (slide B-71617); allotype, ♀ (same data as holotype, slide B-71617); 2♁ paratypes (same data as holotype except leg. N.E Coon, slide B-71590 and D.L. Knowlton, slide B-71601); 2♁ paratypes (same data as holotype, except Akodon sp., 16 VI 1964, leg. D.R. Seidel, 2 slides B-71635, 1 is a dissection); and 2♁ paratypes (same data as holotype, except Akodon sp., 14, 16 VI 1964, leg. N.E. Coon, slide B-71580, and F.J. Meyer, slide B71629) . Holotype, allotype, and 4 paratypes were deposited in CMNH and two paratypes (slides B-71635 and B-71580) were retained in the author’s collection.

Diagnosis. Males distinguished from all members of the subgenus Ectinorus that possess a processus basimeris ventralis by a combination of the following characters: 1) apical spinelets present on T-I, 2) the processus basimeris ventralis is apical and not ventrally affixed to margin of basimere, 3) the crochet is spoon-shaped, and 4) S-VIII possesses an accessory lobe bearing setae that extends beyond ventral apex of caudal margin of S-VIII. Most closely resembles E. ineptus Johnson and E. uncinatus Beaucournu & Gallardo in these characters, although easily distinguished by the details of T-IX, S-VIII, and aedeagus. Among the 18 taxa belonging to the subgenus ( Ectinorus ), the female sex has been definitively described for only twelve species ( E. alejoi Hastrit-

er, E. chilensis Lewis , E. cocyti (Rothschild) , E. disjugis Jordan, E. gallardoi Hastriter , E. hecate Johnson , E. levipes ( Jordan & Rothschild), E. martini Lewis , E. mondacai Hastriter , E. polymerus Jordan, E. trionyx Jordan, and E. morenoi Hastriter ). Female differs from those of E. hecate , E. levipes , E. mondacai , and E. morenoi in that the hilla is not distinctly restricted at the junction of the bulga and from E. polymerus and E. trionyx whose bulgae are obviously longer than wide. Distinguished from the remaining five species ( E. alejoi , E. chilensis , E. cocyti , E. disjugis , and E. gallardoi ) by a combination of all the following characters: 1) hilla is much longer than length of bulga, 2) seven segments in the labial palpus (including basal palp bearing segment), 3) six setae in main row on S-VII, 4) a group of fine setae on lateral aspects of both S-II and S-III, and 5) four setae per side on S-IV-VI. Extralimital species whose female sexes are unknown include E. lareschiae , E. mimacydis , and E. splendidus . Th is new species is very closely related to E. ineptus Johnson , E. uncinatus Beaucournu and Gallardo , and E. curvatus Beaucournus and Gallardo. Th ese are all geographically confined to northern Chile and the southern half of Peru. Although males are easily distinguished, the females prove to be an enigmatic complex for which identifications remain uncertain. The possession of seven segments in the labial palpus of E. hirsutus differs from those females tentatively assigned by Beaucournu and Gallardo (1991) to the respective “ ineptus complex” of species ( E. ineptus , E. curvatus , and E. uncinatus ), although the number of segments in the labial palpus of this single female (allotype) may prove anomalous and not distinctive for this new species. Ectinorus ineptus and E. uncinatus display only minor differences in the male sex and E. uncinatus may prove to be a junior synonym of E. ineptus . Further material is required to assess the validity of these two species.

Description. Head ( Figs. 32, 33 ). Frontal tubercle squared at apex; thick sclerotization behind tubercle. Fine seta dorsad and contiguous with tubercle. Two placoids along margin of frons; one placoid caudad to scape and one more posterior near occipital groove. Preanntennal area with numerous minute coniform peg-like receptors. Single seta along antennal fossa anterior to moderately pigmented eye. Ocular row with three long setae; two shorter setae (female with four). Genal process bluntly acute; with marginal row of 4-6 setae caudad and ventrad to eye, two short setae at apex of gena. Lateral and anterior tentorial arms fused and connecting eye with margin of gena. Postantennal area with three rows of setae (1, 1, 6). Dorsal margin of antennal fossa with row of 22 minute spiniform setulae (female with 5-6). Seven setae confined to apical margin of scape; barely extended to apex of pedicel. Pedicel without setae; apical segments of clavus extended onto prosternosome. Maxilla acutely sharp at apex. Labial palpus of seven segments; extends to apex of fore coxa. Thorax ( Figs. 32, 33 , 35 ). Pronotum with main row and incomplete anterior row of setae. First link plate affixed to shallow notch on prosternosome (link plate vestigial in female). Mesonotum with 14 pseudosetae (female with 12); two complete rows of setae with scattered anterior setae. Mesepisternum with one seta; mesepimeron with four setae. Metanotum with main row and anterior row of setae; caudal margin hyaline. Lateral metanotal area with one short and two long setae. Metepisternum with single long seta; pleural arch present. Metepimeron with two vertical rows, two setae each; spiracle mushroom shaped (asymmetrical). Legs ( Fig. 38 ). Procoxa with 25-27 lateral setae (including marginals) (female with 18-20). Lateral sulcus of mesocoxa vestigial at apex. Anterior margin of meso- and metacoxa with setae on anterior margin. Profemur with 14-15 small lateral (female with 7-8); 3-4 small mesal seta (female with 2). Femoraltibial guard setae two on all segments; equal size on fore femur, lateral smaller of two on meso- and metafemora. Margin of fore, mid and hind tibiae with 6, 7, 7 dorsal notches, respectively. Number of setae in respective dorsal notches: fore tibia (beginning with proximal notch) (2, 2, 2, 3, 2 3) (female with 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3), mid tibia (1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 3), hind tibia (2, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 4). Lateral setae of meso- and metatibia, respectively (5, 6). Two long slender setae on hind tarsi I extended to apex of tarsus II; one seta extended to apex tarsus III. Hind tarsus III with three long slender setae extended well onto distotarsomere. Distotarsomeres each with four pair lateral plantar bristles, two spiniform preapical plantar bristles; in addition to preapical lateral hairs. Numerous fine setae on plantar surfaces of all distotarsomeres. Female lacking long slender setae. Unmodified Abdominal Segments. Tergum I with six marginal spinelets (female with 4); two rows setae (5, 6) (female with 4, 5). Tergites II-VII with 7-8 setae in main row; ventral most of each row at level with small round spiracles (female with 1-2 setae below level of spiracles). Sternum II with single ventral seta and two small lateral setae (female with 4-5 lateral setae); S-III with single small lateral seta (female with 3-4 lateral setae), S-III-VII with three ventral setae (female with S-III-VI with 3, 3, 4, and 4 ventral setae). Modified Abdominal Segments, Male ( Figs. 36, 39 ). Single antesensilial bristles on projection. Sensilium with 18 sensilial pits. Tergum VIII vestigial. Tergum IX massive relative to abdomen; manubrium hooked upward at apex. Caudal margin fringed with many long setae; processus basimeris ventralis arising from apical margin into large lobe bearing caudal fringe of stout setae. Telomere parallel sided, oblique at apex. Acetabulum set well back from caudal margin of basimere. Sternum VIII with caudal lobe subtended by ventral sinus; adorned along margin with 11-12 long setae. At apex of S-VIII, subventral lobe adorned with multiple curved setae. Proximal arm of S-IX with expanded apex attached to inner aspect of junction of basimere and manubrium. Distal arm of S-IX with lobe on caudal margin bearing 2-3 long setae; numerous fine lateral setae, and 6-7 long setae along apicocaudal margin. Apex of S-IX with caudally directed tooth-like appendage. Aedeagus ( Fig. 34 ). Median dorsal lobe acutely pointed at apex. Apico-median sclerite with caudal sinus and ventro-apical hook. Crochet spoon-shaped; heavily sclerotized at ventral margin. Sclerotized inner tube widening towards apex with oblique line ending with small ventral spur (appears as artifact, but is present on all specimens examined); slight swelling at base. Anterior portion of crescent sclerite thickened. Girdle ventrally expanded; truncate at ventral apex. Penis rod single, extending to apex of aedeagal apodeme (penis rod extended well beyond aedeagal apodeme in illustration because it was pulled out during dissection). Aedeagal apodeme broad; round at apex. Small proximal spur present. Modified Abdominal Segments, Female ( Fig. 37, 40 ). Tergum VIII especially long on dorsal margin; five small dorsal setae, 5-8 long lateral setae. Caudal lobe with 11-12 long marginal setae; 5-8 small sharp setae at mesal surface near margin. Spiracle VIII vermiform. Sensilial plate with 18 sensilial pits per side. Sternum VII with row of six long setae; caudal margin with round ventral lobe subtended by small sinus. Sternum VIII bluntly rounded; longitudinal sculpturing present. Dorsal anal lobe with scattered setae; anal stylet twice as long as width. Anal stylet placed at ventral margin; dorsal anal lobe bearing one long apical seta; two short setae ventrad to base of long seta. Ventral anal lobe with scattered setae on apical half; ventral margin sclerotized. Spermatheca with hilla longer than bulga. Bulga obliquely flattened at subventral margin of cribriform area. Bursa copulatrix sclerotized, arching caudad; perula slightly globular without sclerotization. Fibula vaginalis long, sclerotized, and distinct.

Length (slide mounted specimens): Holotype 1.9mm, male average: 1.7mm (n = 6; range: 1534-1970 µm); allotype 2.3mm

Etymology. The ninth tergite and the eighth and ninth sternites of the male are adorned with rows of long setae producing an appearance of “hairy” or “shaggy”, thus hirsutus (L.)

Remarks. Neotomys appears to be the preferred host of E. hirsutus . Only Neotomys was recorded on the slides and on the “B” number records of Robert Traub. Voucher specimens could not be traced to validate the field identifications; however, the type locality of E. hirsutus is sympatric with that of Neotomys ebriosus Thomas , the only species in the genus. Occurring together with this new species on N. ebriosus were the two specimens (male and female) of Sphinctopsylla inca (Rothschild) and a single female Tetrapsyllus bleptus ( Jordan & Rothschild) identified by Robert Traub.

Figures

Figure 32-34. Ectinorus hirsutus n. sp. 32. Head and pronotum, holotype ♁. 33. Head and pronotum, allotype ♀. 34. Aedeagus, holotype ♁. Scale = 200 µm

Figure 35-40. Ectinorus hirsutus n. sp. 35. Thorax, holotype ♁. 36. Ninth tergite and ninth sternite, paratype ♁ (B-71635). 37. Spermatheca and bursa copulatrix, allotype ♀. 38. Hind legs, holotype ♁. 39. Eighth sternite, holotype ♁. 40. Seventh sternite, allotype ♀. Scale 35-36 and 39-40 = 200 µm, 37 = 100 µm