Three new species of Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from New Zealand passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) Author Sychra, Oldrich Author Kolencik, Stanislav Author Palma, Ricardo L. text Zootaxa 2016 4126 3 397 410 journal article 38779 10.11646/zootaxa.4126.3.5 de085de6-faee-44bc-a0a7-a24b86782d8e 1175-5326 255289 129DDACB-3E5A-4E83-9DDF-E790FADD0007 Myrsidea hihi Sychra, Kolencik & Palma new species Figs 12–13 , 22 , 29–30 . Myrsidea sp.; Pilgrim & Palma 1982 : 27 . Myrsidea sp.; Murray et al . 2001 : 1263 . Myrsidea sp.; Palma 2010: 408. Type host: . Notiomystis cincta (du Bus de Gisignies, 1839) —stitchbird or hihi (Notiomystidae) Type locality. Mount Bruce, Wairarapa, New Zealand . Diagnosis. Myrsidea hihi is morphologically close to Myrsidea novaeseelandiae (see above). See Table 1 . to distinguish the females of these two species. Description. Female (n = 11). As in Figs 12 and 29 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites weakly developed. Length of dorsal head seta (DHS) 10, 0.105–0.130; DHS 11, 0.090–0.100; ratio DHS 10/11, 1.10–1.33. Labial setae 5 ( ls5 ) 0.07–0.09 long, latero-ventral fringe with 7–10 setae. Gula with 4–5 setae on each side. Pronotum with 6 setae on posterior margin and 3 short spiniform setae at each lateral corner. Prosternal plate as in Fig. 13 . First tibia with 3 outer ventro-lateral and 3 dorso-lateral setae. Metanotum enlarged, with 6–8 marginal setae ( Fig. 12 ); metasternal plate with 7–8 setae, and a long, pigmented distal prolongation ( Fig. 29 ); metapleurites with 3–4 short strong spiniform setae and 1–2 long seta. Femur III with 1 1–15 setae in ventral setal brush. Tergite I larger than remainder; tergites II–V not enlarged, sinuous ( Fig. 12 ). Abdominal segments with continuous row of tergal setae at least across segment II–V. Tergal setae: I, 4–5; II, 13–17; III, 14–17; IV, 12–16; V, 10–13; VI, 8–10; VII, 5–7; VIII, 4. Longest tergocentral seta on segment II is quite long (0.25–0.33). Postspiracular setae: extremely short on I, long on II, IV and VIII (0.33–0.44), shorter on VII (0.16–0.21), and shortest on III, V and VI (0.08–0.19). Inner posterior seta of last tergite 0.04–0.05 long, not longer than anal fringe; short lateral marginal seta 0.02–0.03 long. Pleural setae: I, 2; II, 8–12; III, 8–14; IV, 9–13; V, 8–12; VI, 6–10; VII, 3–7; VIII, 3. Pleurite I with only short spine-like setae; pleurites II–IV with 6–11 slender and longer setae; pleurites III–VII with 1–3 anterior setae. Pleurite VIII with inner setae (0.03–0.05) as long as outer (0.03–0.04). Sternal plate II divided in three sections by two unpigmented oblique “sutures” ( Fig. 29 ). Sternal setae: I, 1–3 setae on each latero-posterior angle; II, 4–6 in each aster—aster setae length: s1 , 0.11–0.13; s2 , 0.05–0.10; s3 , 0.04–0.07; s4 , 0.04–0.05; s5 , 0.04–0.05; s6 , 0.05— with 19–24 marginal setae between asters, and 8–17 medioanterior; III, 50–73 marginal setae (3–12 medioanterior setae); IV, 64–79 (9–15); V, 65–80 (10–15); VI, 58–74 (8–17); VII, 40–54 (9–14); VIII–IX, 27–40, and 15–16 setae on lightly spiculose vulvar margin. The outer latero-marginal setae on sternite III very long, reaching well beyond the posterior margin of sternite IV ( Fig. 12 ). Subvulval sclerite (sternite IX) clearly visible ( Figs 12 , 29 ). Anal fringe formed by 35–43 dorsal and 37–45 ventral setae. Dimensions: TW, 0.44–0.48; POW, 0.34–0.36; HL, 0.27– 0.3; PW, 0.31–0.35; MW, 0.59–0.68; AW, 0.71–0.80; ANW, 0.20–0.23; TL, 1.51–1.70. Male (n = 12). As in Fig. 30 . Hypopharyngeal sclerites weakly developed. Length of dorsal head seta (DHS) 10, 0.100–0.120; DHS 11, 0.090–0.100; ratio DHS 10/11, 1.00–1.22. Labial setae 5 ( ls5 ) 0.07–0.08 long, lateroventral fringe with 8–9 setae. Gula with 3–5 setae on each side. Pronotum with 6 setae on posterior margin and 3 short spiniform setae at each lateral corner. First tibia with 3 outer ventro-lateral and 3 dorso-lateral setae. Metanotum not enlarged with 4–7 marginal setae; metasternal plate with 6–7 setae; metapleurites with 2–3 short spiniform strong setae. Femur III with 12–16 setae in ventral setal brush. Abdominal segments with well-defined median gap in each row of tergal setae. Tergal setae: I, 4; II, 7–11; III, 9–12; IV, 8–11; V, 7–9; VI, 6–8; VII, 4–6; VIII, 4. Longest tergocentral seta on segment II is relatively short (0.13–0.19). Postspiracular setae: extremely short on I, long on II, IV and VIII (0.31–0.42), shorter on VII (0.16–0.28), and shortest on III, V and VI (0.12– 0.21). Inner posterior seta of last tergite 0.02–0.03 long; short lateral marginal seta 0.02–0.03 long. Pleurites with only short spine-like setae; pleural setae: I, 2; II, 4–6; III–V, 5–7; VI, 4–6; VII, 4; VIII, 3. Pleurite VIII with inner setae (0.04–0.05) as long as outer (0.03–0.05). Anterior margin of sternal plate II with a medial notch. Sternal setae: I, 2–3; II, 4–5 in each aster—aster setae length: s1 , 0.09–0.11; s2 , 0.06–0.09; s3 , 0.04–0.05; s4 , 0.02–0.03— with 14–19 marginal setae between asters, and 4–9 medioanterior setae; III, 20–30 marginal setae; IV, 28–44 marginal setae (2–6 medioanterior setae); V, 36–51 (4–8); VI, 35–48 (5–7); VII, 22–33 (1–8); VIII, 35–50 (4–8). With 8–9 ventral and 3–5 dorsal anal setae. Genitalia as in Fig. 22 ; inner posterior arms of basal plate rounded (see Clay 1968 : 207). Dimensions: TW, 0.39–0.42; POW, 0.31–0.34; HL, 0.26–0.28; PW, 0.28–0.30; MW, 0.36–0.43; AW, 0.44–0.50; GW, 0.09–0.11; GL, 0.40–0.48; ParL, 0.06–0.07; GSL, 0.07–0.12; TL, 1.19–1.37. Etymology. This species epithet “ hihi ” is the name of the type host in Maori language (Checklist Committee 2010: 356), and is used here as a noun in apposition. Type material. Ex Notiomystis cincta : Holotype ♀, Mount Bruce, Wairarapa, N.Z., 20 Dec. 1980 [bird hatched in captivity from parents transferred from Little Barrier Island] ( MONZ AI . 033098 ). Paratypes : 1♂ , same data as for the holotype ( MONZ AI .017060); 6♂ , 7♀, Little Barrier Island, N.Z., 18 Feb. 1979 , C.R. Veitch ( NZAC ); 12♂ , 12♀, Mount Bruce, Wairarapa, N.Z., 1981, Wildlife Service [captive bird transferred from Little Barrier Island] ( MONZ AI .017061; MMBC ); 1♂ , Little Barrier Island, N.Z., 4 Apr. 1985 , C.R. Veitch ( MONZ AI .017062). Note . By the late 1880s, the stitchbird had vanished from the New Zealand mainland, with only one population surviving on Little Barrier Island. A captive breeding programme was initiated in the 1980s, with successful reintroductions of stitchbirds into other islands (Checklist Committee 2010: 284). Remarks. The type host of Myrsidea hihi , Notiomystis cincta , was placed in the family Meliphagidae until recently, but was transferred to a new monotypic family, Notiomystidae , based on DNA studies, which also showed a closer relationship of this family with the Callaeidae (Checklist Committee 2010: 283) . Considering that there are no records of Myrsidea lice from the Callaeidae (see Pilgrim & Palma 1982 : 28; Price et al . 2003 : 337) and that Myrsidea hihi is morphologically closest to M. novaeseelandiae , we can speculate that there has been a host-switch of Myrsidea lice between the hosts of these two species. Furthermore, if there was a host-switch, we believe that it was more likely from a meliphagid species to Notiomystis or its ancestor because two different genera of New Zealand honeyeaters are parasitised by the same species of Myrsidea (see above). FIGURES 23–26. Habitus. Myrsidea vincula : 23 , female. 24 , male. Myrsidea ivanliteraki n. sp. : 25 , holotype female. 26 , paratype male. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. FIGURES 27–30. Habitus. Myrsidea novaeseelandiae n. sp. : 27 , holotype female. 28 , paratype male. Myrsidea hihi n. sp. : 29 , holotype female. 30 , paratype male. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Considering that Notiomystis cincta , the single host of Myrsidea hihi , is classified as a “Nationally Vulnerable” species in regard to its conservation status ( Robertson et al . 2013 : 11), thus this louse should also be regarded in the same category.