Morphological revision of the hyperdiverse Brueelia - complex (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) with new taxa, checklists and generic key Author Bush, Sarah E. text Zootaxa 2017 2017-08-31 4313 1 1 443 journal article 32249 10.11646/zootaxa.4313.1.1 d8cc2cd8-8410-49aa-a75d-7a41d9f52b26 1175-5326 883161 A5Fdfba5-F992-44A8-84C2-1756C943C19B Meropsiella apiastri ( Denny, 1842 ) ( Figs 479–485 ) Nirmus apiastri Denny, 1842 : 52 . Degeeriella apiastri ( Denny, 1842 ) ; Harrison, 1916 : 108 . Meropsiella apiastri ( Denny, 1842 ) ; Conci, 1941b : 104 . Brueelia apiastri ( Denny, 1842 ) ; Hopkins & Clay, 1952 : 53 . Type host. Merops apiaster Linnaeus, 1758 —European bee-eater. Type locality. Belfast , Northern Ireland , United Kingdom . Description. Both sexes . Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 481 . Bulge median of mts 3 slight. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 479–480 ; 1 seta on each side of metasternum. Male . Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 479 . Male genitalia ( Figs 483–485 ) unique within genus and the Brueelia -complex. Basal apodeme ( Fig. 483 ) roughly trapezoidal. Proximal mesosome square-shaped. Gonopore ( Fig. 484 ) ventral, narrowly open distally, with large, roughly Y-shaped thickening on each side. Mesosomal lobes rounded, fused distally. Moderate lateral nodi on ventral surface of mesosome, not reaching distal end of mesosome; 2 pmes microsetae on each side on these nodi. Parameral heads ( Fig. 485 ) slender, bifid. Parameral blades gently curved around mesosome, slightly elongated distally; pst1–2 sensilla, proximal to elongation of parameres. Measurements ex Merops apiaster (n = 9): TL = 1.41–1.53; HL = 0.40–0.41; HW = 0.34– 0.36; PRW = 0.22–0.24; PTW = 0.33-0.35; AW = 0.42–0.46. FIGURES 477–478. Bizarrifrons sp. ex Psarocolius bifasciatus yuracares : 477, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views (thin dotted lines depict extent of pigmentation on tergites). 478, male genitalia, dorsal view (ventral setae transposed to dorsal surface for clarity). FIGURES 479–480. Meropsiella apiastri (Denny, 1842) ex Merops apiaster : 479, male habitus, dorsal and ventral views. 480, female habitus, dorsal and ventral views. FIGURES 481–482. Meropsiella apiastri (Denny, 1842) ex Merops apiaster : 481, male head, dorsal and ventral views. 482, female subgenital plate and vulval margin, ventral view. FIGURES 483–491. Meropsiella spp. male genitalia. Meropsiella apiastri (Denny, 1842) : 483, dorsal view. 484, mesosome, ventral view. 485, paramere, dorsal view. Meropsiella bullockoda (Williams, 1981) n. comb. 486: dorsal view. 487, mesosome, ventral view. 488, paramere, dorsal view. Meropsiella cf. erythropteri (Piaget, 1885) n. comb. ex Merops philippinicus : 489, dorsal view. 490, mesomere, ventral view. 491, paramere, dorsal view. Female . Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 2 and Fig. 480 . Subgenital plate ( Fig. 482 ) flares distally, but does not reach vulval margin, forming wide cross-piece that broadens laterally. Vulval margin ( Fig. 482 ) with distinct median bulge; 1–3 slender vms and 2–3 thorn-like vss situated on each side of bulge, mixed; 3–5 long, slender vos on each side; vos do not approach vss . Measurements ex Merops apiaster (n = 11): TL = 1.76–1.95 (1.87); HL = 0.43–0.47 (0.45); HW = 0.36–0.40 (0.38); PRW = 0.22–0.26 (0.24); PTW = 0.35–0.39 (0.37); AW = 0.50–0.57 (0.53). Type material. Ex Merops apiaster : Holotype ♂ , Belfast , Northern Ireland , United Kingdom , Denny Collection, BM 1952-98 ( NHML ). Additional material examined (non-types) Ex Merops apiaster : 1♀ , Agigea , [ Constata County ,] Romania , 2 Jul. 1958 , I. Bechet , 22/a/5, 22039 on reverse ( OSUS ) ; 1♂ , 1♀ , Israel , 23 May 1968 , C-2194 ( OSUS ) ; 1♂ , 1♀ , “ Desert ”, Al Magrah , [ Matruh Governate,] Egypt , 15 May 1975 , HH8277 ( OSUS ) ; 1♀ , Paralimni , [ Famagusta District ,] Cyprus , 12 May 1968 , CYS-385 ( OSUS ) ; 1♂ , Luanshya River , Zambia , 13 Oct. 1951 , E.L. Haydoek , ML/30, Brit. Mus . 1952-149 ( NHML ) ; 1♂ , Slovakia , 24 Jul. 1949 , F. Balát , BM 1950-389 ( NHML ) ; 2♂ , 14♀ , Afghanistan , May 1937 , R. Meinertzhagen , 10006 and 10086–91 ( NHML ) ; 4♂ , 6♀ , Quetta , Afghanistan , May 1937 , R. Meinertzhagen , 2746 ( NHML ) ; 3♂ , 11♀ , Kabul , Afghanistan , Apr. 1937 , R. Meinertzhagen , 9687 ( NHML ) ; 1♂ , 1♀ , Johannesburg , Transvaal , South Africa , 15 Nov. 1968 , J. Ledger , Brit. Mus . 1972-382 ( NHML ) ; 1♂ , 1♀ , “ Asia Minor ”, Turkey , May 1935 , R.Meinertzhagen , 3885 ( NHML ) ; 2♂ , 3♀ , Palestine , Apr. 1953 , R. Meinertzhagen , BM1953-225 ( NHML ) ; 4♂ , 3♀ , Defilia , near Figuig , Morocco , 12 Apr. 1966 , A . Hutson , Brit. Mus . 1966-241 ( NHML ) ; 3♂ , 1♀ , “ Southern Spain ”, SPAIN , 21 Apr. 1961 , Varma No . A 252, Brit. Mus . 1962-325 ( NHML ) ; 1♂ , 3♀ , Yinna [?], Mbaraza [?], Uganda , 11 Nov. 1934 , G.H.E. Hopkins ( NHML ) ; 1♂ , 1♀ , “ Stavros ”, unknown locality, 23 May 1918 , J. Waterston , BM1930-232 ( NHML ) ; 1♀ , Khuta Maji , Vwaza Marsh , Vwaza Wildlife Reserve , Malawi , 16 Oct. 2009 , Jason D. Weckstein , MLW-3753, FMNH 467914 , FMNH 0 0 0 0 0 29 0 33, DNA voucher for sequence Brap. 1.25.2011.1 ( FMNH ) ; 1♀ , Metkovic , Croatia , 20 May 1963 , A . Lesinger , 7554 ( PMSL ) ; 2♂ , 1♀ , Metkovic , Croatia , 15 Oct. 1964 , A . Lesinger , 9791–9802 ( PMSL ) ; 1♂ , Metkovic , Croatia , 18 May 1968 , A . Lesinger , 11400 ( PMSL ) ; 1♀ , Bitola , Macedonia , 15 Aug. 1928 , S. Brelih , 2469 ( PMSL ) ; 1♂ , Red Sea , SUDAN , 9 Sep. 1960 , S. Brelih , 3225 ( PMSL ) . Ex “ Merops aegyptius ”: 1♀, Wolffhügel, IN1278/69 (MFNB). Remarks. In the material we have examined, the parameres are not shaped as in Williams (1981: fig. 6) , but are distally elongated. William’s (1981: figs 4, 5) illustrations also lack the dorsal preantennal suture, which is present in our material examined.