Formicaphagus severus Cicchino and Valim, 2008

Cicchino, Armando C. & Valim, Michel P., 2008, Three new species of Formicaphagus Carriker, 1957 (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera, Philopteridae), parasitic on Thamnophilidae and Conopophagidae (Aves, Passeriformes), Zootaxa 1949 (1), pp. 37-50 : 43-45

Formicaphagus severus Cicchino and Valim , n. sp.

( Figs. 7 , 21–22, 25–26 )

Formicaphagus n. sp. Cicchino & Castro 1998:121.

Diagnosis: Body silhouette more stout, ANW wider and tendency to be longer than F. thamnophili n.sp. in both sexes. Male differing in shape of paramera, shape, structure and number of marginal sensilla (four) of endomeral complex, shape and proportions of the penial sclerite, and most of the body measurements. Female with 0–2 posterior (frequently one) tergal setae on VI–VII each side, greater number setae on gonapophysis (6–10 vs 5–6), and most of the body measurements.

Male ( Figs. 7 , 21, 25 ): general habitus as in Fig. 21. Head slightly longer than wide ( Fig.7 ), narrow than abdominal width. Lateral peantennal margins straight, convergent in a medium width and shallowly emarginated apex. Dorsal anterior plate slightly longer than wide. Temples moderately expanded. Tergoposterior setae present on each abdominal hemitergites VI, 2–3 (2); VII, 2–4 (3); and on VIII 0–1 (0). A pair of sutural accessory seta present only in two specimens on VII and VIII. Genitalia: reminiscent of that of F. pittasomae Carriker, 1957 , differing in size, shape of the parameres and proportions of the dorsal arms of the penial sclerite, bearing four marginal sensilla on each side ( Fig. 25 ). Measurements (n=5): HL 0.527 – 0.541 (0.533 ± 0.007) , ANW 0.110 –0.115 (0.112 ± 0.002), POW 0.405 –0.424 (0.414 ± 0.011), OW 0.554 –0.568 (0.562 ± 0.008), ADPL 0.157 –0.169 (0.165±0.004) , ADPW 0.141 –0.145 (0.143 ± 0.002) , PL 0.189 –0.203 (0.200 ± 0.006) , PW 0.297 –0.330 (0.306 ± 0.017) , PTL 0.208 –0.235 (0.215 ± 0.013), PTW 0.424 –0.451 (0.442 ± 0.011), AL 0.865 –0.946 (0.900 ± 0.038), AW 0.608 –0.649 (0.620 ± 0.017), GLT 0.262 –0.283 (0.275 ± 0.009), GLM 0.242 –0.271 (0.258 ± 0.012), GW 0.108 –0.115 (0.110 ± 0.003), TL 1.716 –1.824 (1.759 ± 0.044).

Female ( Figs. 22, 26 ): general habitus as in Fig. 22. Head and thoracic features much as for male, but somewhat larger. Tergoposterior setae present on each abdominal hemitergites VI, 0–1, and VII, 0–2, more often 1 on each side. Vulvar margin with 16–26 (20) spinose and 3–9 (7) slender setae ( Fig. 26 ), subgenital plate with 12–19 (16) setae, and gonapophysis with 6–10 (7 and 8) setae on each side. Measurements (n=15): HL 0.519 –0.568 (0.547 ± 0.017) , ANW 0.094 –0.120 (0.107 ± 0.006), POW 0.419 –0.459 (0.436 ± 0.018), OW 0.559 –0.595 (0.577 ± 0.014), ADPL 0.155 –0.180 (0.171 ± 0.007) , ADPW 0.141 –0.159 (0.148 ± 0.005) , PL 0.195 –0.235 (0.209 ± 0.013) , PH 0.283 –0.351 (0.314 ± 0.024) , PTL 0.203 –0.249 (0.220 ± 0.019), PTW 0.432 –0.486 (0.460 ± 0.019), AL 0.865 –1.135 (1.019 ± 0.097), AW 0.595 –0.654 (0.639 ± 0.024), TL 1.797 – 2.000 (1.890 ± 0.080).

Prevalence: the prevalence of this species cannot be calculated, because the only individual host was parasitized.

Specimens examined: male holotype, 3 male and 13 female paratypes at MLP ; 1 male and 2 female paratypes at ECIOC ; all from the type host, ARGENTINA: Misiones Province ; Frontera, Urugua-í, 11-IX- 1952, W. Partridge col.

Type host: Tufted Antshrike , Mackenziaena severa . Inhabits dense forest understory of Atlantic Forest region of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina, particularly where bamboo is present .

Figures

FIGURES 1–13. Male heads of: (1) F. arnoldi (holotype); (2) F. donpetersi (paratype); (3) F. mariae n.sp.; (4) F. tyrannina (holotype); (5) F. picturatus; (6) F. thamnophili n.sp.; (7) F. severus n.sp. Pleural plates in females of: (8) F. picturatus; (9) F. tyrannina (holotype); (10) F. arnoldi (paratype). Dorsal view of female tergite IX+X of: (11) F. picturatus; (12) F. tyrannina (holotype); (13) F. arnoldi (paratype). Photos 1–2, 4–5, 8–13 by Oldřich Sychra in 2006.

FIGURES 23–29. Formicaphagus thamnophili n. sp.: (23) male genitalia, (24) vulvae of female. F. severus n. sp.: (25) male genitalia, (26) vulvae of female. F.mariae n. sp.: (27) anterior portion of the female forehead, (28) male genitalia, (29) vulvae of female.