Myrsidea peruviana Eichler

Price, Roger D., Hellenthal, Ronald A. & Weckstein, Jason D., 2004, The genus Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the toucans (Piciformes: Ramphastidae), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 613, pp. 1-18 : 8-9

Myrsidea peruviana Eichler ( Figs. 13–14 )

Myrsidea extranea peruviana Eichler 1951: 50 . Type host: Ramphastos tucanus inca Gould – questionable host from “Sivia, Süd­Peru, 520 m, 26.v.1936, Titschach­Expedition.”

Female. Dorsal aspect as in Fig. 13 . Posterior pronotal margin with 12–14 setae, metanotal margin with 8–12. Tergal setae: I, 14–20; II–III, 24–28; IV–VI, 20–24; VII, 15–18; VIII, 10–11. Postspiracular setae on III very long, similar to those on II and IV; usually without anterior pleural setae. Medium inner posterior marginal setae on IX. Sternal setae: II, 28–29; III, 40–47; IV, 48–51; V, 53–56; VI, 51; VII, 20; subgenital plate, 27.

Anus with 61–74 ventral fringe setae, 45–59 dorsal. Dimensions: TW, 0.65–0.70; HL, 0.40–0.44; PW, 0.43–0.47; MW, 0.70–0.81; AWIV, 0.77–0.96; ANW, 0.44–0.48; TL, 2.07–2.40.

Male. Posterior pronotal margin with 10–16 setae, metanotal margin with 8–10. Tergal setae: I, 17–22; II, 24–25; III, 22–28; IV, 21–30; V, 22–26; VI, 19–23; VII, 16–18; VIII, 10–12. Postspiracular, pleural, and IX inner posterior marginal setae as for female. Sternal setae: II–III (obscured); IV, 46–48; V, 54; VI, 47; VII, 30; VIII (obscured). Genital sac sclerites as in Fig. 14 . Dimensions: TW, 0.60–0.61; HL, 0.39–0.41; PW, 0.39–0.41; MW, 0.53–0.58; AWIV, 0.64–0.68; GL, 0.59–0.63; TL, 1.73–1.97.

Material. Ex R. t. cuvieri, 4 females, 7 males (including male “allotype”, 5 male “ paratypes ” of M. peruviana ), VENEZUELA: Atures, Amazonas (MAC­1177; 1955); 2 females, PERU: Loreto, 7 km SW Jeberos, 05°18'48" S, 76°16'32" W (KE­112; 2001); 2 females, PERU: Loreto, ca 54 km NNW mouth Rio Morona on W bank, 04°16'51" S, 79°14'16" W (KE­184; 2001). Ex R. t. tucanus , 1 female, 1 male, VENEZUELA: Comp. Cecilia, Rio Caura (MAC­2539; 1957); 5 females, 6 males, GUYANA: Karthbo Pt. (JH; 1984).

Remarks. Although we have seen no M. peruviana specimens from R. t. inca , the supposed type host, we have series from both R. t. cuvieri and R. t. tucanus . We are convinced that they represent this louse taxon. Eichler (1951), while providing a generally useless description, does give a good photograph of an entire female. Carriker [and Diaz­ Ungria] (1961) suggested that the R. t. inca given by Eichler (1951) was a misidentification of R. t. cuvieri. Carriker identified most of the M. peruviana material we have seen and we concur with his opinion. The shape of the female metanotal and tergal modifications, the unique male genital sac sclerites ( Fig. 14 ), and the large number of posterior pronotal margin setae ( Fig. 13 ) clearly separate this species from all other known toucan Myrsidea .

Since Eichler (1951) had based his description on a single female, Carriker [and Diaz­ Ungria] (1961) described and designated a male allotype and 8 male paratypes for M. peruviana . In spite of his good intentions to fill the void of the absence of a male description, designation of an allotype and paratypes in this way is improper taxonomic practice and the specimens should not carry these designations.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 18. 9 – 12, Myrsidea extranea. 9, Female dorsal thorax, metasternum, and dorsoventral abdomen. 10, Male genitalia. 11, Male genital sac sclerites. 12, Male metanotum and dorsoventral abdomen. 13 – 14, M. peruviana. 13, Female dorsal thorax and abdomen. 14, Male genital sac sclerites. 15, M. abbreviata female metanotum and dorsoventral abdomen. 16, M. dorotheae male genital sac sclerites. 17 – 18, M. lanei. 17,