Guimaraesiella (Malardifax) pandolura Gustafsson & Bush 2017

Guimaraesiella (Malardifax) pandolura Gustafsson & Bush, 2017

(Figs 91–94, 101–106)

Type host. Pericrocotus speciosus semiruber Whistler & Kinnear, 1933 – scarlet minivet.

Type locality. Pang La, Lampang Province, Thailand.

Other hosts. Pericrocotus ethologus laetus Mayr, 1940 – long-tailed minivet new host record. Pericrocotus roseus stanfordi Vaughan & Jones, 1913 – rosy minivet new host record.

Diagnosis. As specimens of Gu. (Ma.) pandolura from P. ethologus laetus (Figs 91–94, 101–103) and P. roseus stanfordi (Figs 104–106) are morphologically very similar to specimens from the type host (see Gustafsson & Bush 2017; figs 373–375), we consider the three populations as conspecific. Specimens from non-type hosts can be separated from specimens from the type host by the following characters: male abdominal segment V with two ps on each side in specimens from P. e. laetus (Figs 91–92) and P. r. stanfordi (not shown), but with 1 ps on each side in specimens from the type host; ventral sclerite of mesosome with proximal thickening in specimens from type host, but without thickening in specimens from P. e. laetus (Fig. 102) and P. r. stanfordi (Fig. 105); overall shape of mesosome differing between specimens from all three host species (Figs 101–102, 104–105); rugose area of ventral mesosome more extensive in specimens from type host than in specimens from P. e. laetus (Fig. 102) and P. r. stanfordi (Fig. 105); parameres proportionately longer and stouter in specimens from P. e. laetus (Fig. 103) than in specimens from the type host, but parameres of specimens from P. r. stanfordi largely identical to those of specimens from the type host (Fig. 106). No characters reliably separate females from P. e laetus (Fig. 94) from those from the type host, as subgenital plates are somewhat variable in shape distally between specimens, and vulval chaetotaxy overlaps. Females of the population infesting P. r. stanfordi are unknown.

Description. Both sexes. Head broad, rounded trapezoidal (Fig. 93), lateral margins of preantennal head concave, frons broadly concave. Marginal carina slender, interrupted laterally and submedianly. Dorsal preantennal suture reaches dsms, ads, lateral margin of head, and completely separates dorsal anterior plate. Dorsal anterior plate with concave anterior margin, convex lateral margins, and more or less flat posterior margin. Ventral anterior plate elongated crescent-shaped. Head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 93. Preantennal nodi slender, but turned medianly, bulging. Preocular nodi larger than postocular nodi. Marginal temporal carina narrow, or more of less even width. Gular plate with concave lateral margins converging to median point. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in Figs 91–92.

Males from Pericrocotus ethologus laetus. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 91; abdominal segment V with 2 ps on each side. Basal apodeme rounded rectangular, with slightly concave lateral margins (Fig. 101). Proximal mesosome rounded, narrowing slightly distally (Fig. 102). Mesosomal lobes with convergent, more or less straight lateral margins. Ventral sclerite without proximal thickening; rugose area not reaching lateral margins of mesosome. Gonopore broadly rounded. Parameral heads broad (Fig. 103); parameral blades of more or less even width, somewhat rounded distally; pst1–2 as in Fig. 101). Measurements as in Table 1.

Males from Pericrocotus roseus stanfordi. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as above. Basal apodeme rounded proximally, lateral margins concave (Fig. 104). Proximal mesosome rounded rectangular (Fig. 105), with small bulge at about mid-length. Mesosomal lobes convergent, narrowing markedly near distal end. Ventral sclerite without proximal thickening; rugose area not reaching lateral margins of mesosome. Gonopore somewhat rounded quadratic. Parameral heads broad, extended slightly distally (Fig. 106); pst1–2 as in Fig. 104. Measurements as in Table 1.

Females from Pericrocotus ethologus laetus. Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 92. Subgenital plate pentagonal, median point almost reaching vulval margin (Fig. 94). Vulval margin bulging medianly, with 3–4 short, slender vms and 7–12 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 3–6 short, slender vos on each side of subgenital plate; distal 1 vos on each side near vss. Measurements as in Table 1.

Female from Pericrocotus roseus stanfordi. Unknown.

Material examined (non-types): Ex Pericrocotus ethologus laetus: 1♂, 5♀, Kangpokpi, Manipur, India, 23 Jan. 1952, R. Meinertzhagen, 19836, B.M. 1952-143 (NHML). Ex Pericrocotus roseus stanfordi: 1♂, Chiang Saen Kao, Chiang Rai province, Thailand, 20 Feb. 1953, R. E. Elbel & H.G. Deignan, RE-2300, RT-B-17805 (BPBM).

Remarks. We also examined a sample of two females from P. roseus stanfordi held in PIPR. However, as both lice have distorted abdomens with damaged distal ends, the shape of the subgenital plate and the vulval chaetotaxy could not be determined to identify them with certainty.