Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 2200 No. 1: 17 Aug. 2009
Type: Articles
Published: 2009-08-17
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2200.1.4
Page range: 61–68
Abstract views: 60
PDF downloaded: 32

Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) in Panama

1409 Burnham Court, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903, USA
Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 South Oak Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
Fish chewing lice Myrsidea Phthiraptera Menoponidae Passeriformes Thraupidae

Abstract

There are 23 species of Myrsidea recognized from passerine thraupid hosts. Five new species parasitic on members of this avian family are described. They and their type hosts are Myrsidea rozsai ex the Thick-billed Euphonia, Euphonia laniirostris d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, M. cruickshanki ex the Carmiol's Tanager, Chlorothraupis carmioli (Lawrence), M. patersoni ex the Grey-headed Tanager, Eucometis penicillata (Spix), M. pagei ex the Crimson-backed Tanager, Ramphocelus dimidiatus Lafresnaye, and M. valimi ex the Tawny-capped Euphonia, Euphonia anneae Cassin. The first species is placed in the bonariensis species group, while the remaining four are placed in the fusca species group. Sequences of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene were compared to other species of Myrsidea and were highly divergent.

References

  1. Bueter, C., Weckstein, J., Johnson, K.P., Bates, J.M. & Gordon, C.E. (2009) Comparative phylogenetic histories of two louse genera found on Catharus thrushes and other birds. Journal of Parasitology, 95, 295–307.

    Clay, T. (1966) Contributions towards a revision of Myrsidea Waterston. I. (Menoponidae: Mallophaga). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, 17, 327–395.

    Clayton, D.H., Gregory, R.D. & Price, R.D. (1992) Comparative ecology of Neotropical bird lice. Journal of Animal Ecology, 61, 781–795.

    Dickinson, E.C. (Ed.) (2003) The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1,039 pp.

    Johnson, K.P., Adams, R.J. & Clayton, D.H. (2002) The phylogeny of the louse genus Brueelia does not reflect host phylogeny. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 77, 233–247.

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

    Sychra, O., Literák, I., Čapek, M., & Havlíček, M. (2007) Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from buntings, cardinals and tanagers (Passeriformes: Emberizidae, Cardinalidae, Thraupidae) from Costa Rica, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae). Zootaxa, 1631, 57–68.

    Waterston, J. (1915) On two new species of Mallophaga (Menoponidae): Menacanthus balfouri n. sp. and Myrsidea victrix n. sp. from Colombia. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, 51, 12–16.