Myrsidea icterocephalae Price and Dalgleish, 2006

Price, Roger D. & Dalgleish, Robert C., 2006, Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), with descriptions of 18 new species, Zootaxa 1174, pp. 1-25 : 9

Myrsidea icterocephalae Price and Dalgleish , new species (Figs. 11)

Type host. Tangara icterocephala (Bonaparte) , Silver­throated Tanager.

Female (10). Metanotum not enlarged, with 11–16 marginal setae. Abdominal tergites shaped much as for M. tangarae (Fig. 10). Tergal setae: I, 8–11; II, 21–31; III–V, 30–37; VI, 28–35; VII, 24–31; VIII, 19–24. Postspiracular setae extremely long on IV, shorter on III and V–VII. Sternal setae: II, 25–35; III, 22–31; IV–V, 28–46; VI, 25–37; VII, 15–24; VIII–IX, 21–24. Dimensions: TW, 0.42–0.44; HL and PW, 0.27–0.30; MW, 0.39–0.42; AWIV, 0.53–0.58; ANW, 0.20–0.22; TL, 1.40–1.49.

Male (10). Metanotum with 11–14 marginal setae. Tergal setae: I, 13–19; II, 23–31; III, 28–34; IV–V, 30–36; VI, 28–33; VII, 26–32; VIII, 20–27. Sternal setae: II, 26–31; III, 20–26; IV, 27–32; V, 29–35; VI, 25–30; VII, 18–21; VIII, 7–11. Genital sac sclerite 0.085– 0.090 long, as in Fig. 11. Dimensions: TW, 0.39–0.41; HL and PW, 0.25–0.29; MW, 0.32– 0.36; AWIV, 0.41–0.46; TL, 1.14–1.22.

Type material. Holotype female, ex T. icterocephala , COSTA RICA: Las Cruces Biological Station , Cota Brus, 18–21 Apr 1992, R. L. Fisher . Paratypes, all ex T. icterocephala : 6 females, 5 males, same data as holotype ; 4 females, same except 26 Jun 1993, R. L. Fisher 644 and 646; 6 females, 13 males, same except Wilson Botanical Garden, Las Cruces, 20 Apr 1992, Fisher 84, 118, and 148; 13 females, 14 males, same except 19 Apr 1992, Fisher 53, 93, 99, and 103.

Remarks. This species is anatomically very similar to M. tangarae , but differs in having both sexes with more gular setae (41/59 with 5 + 5 setae, 1/59 with 5 + 6, 16/59 with 5 + 4, and only 1/59 with 4 + 4) and smaller dimensions. The male has fewer setae on tergite I and a slightly different genital sac sclerite (Fig. 11 vs Fig. 23).