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International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) : 0027-4070.

BULLETIN DU MUSÉUM NATIONAL D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE

3 e série, n° 457, mars-avril 1977, Zoologie 320

The genus Phthirpediculus Ewing

(Anoplura, Phthiraptera, Insecta)

by Theresa Ci. a y *

Résumé. — L’auteur décrit une nouvelle espèce de Phthirpediculus (Polyplaeinae), sur Lemur

mongoz Linné ; elle donne des caractères additionnels pour P. avahidis Paulian, y compris ceux

des mâles, et les deux espèces sont comparées aux figures et à la description de P. propitlieci Ewing

in Ferris, 1932.

Abstract. — A new species of Phthirpediculus (Polyplaeinae) from Lemur mongoz Linneus

is described ; further characters of P. avahidis Paulian are given including those of the male and

both species are compared with the figures and description of P. propitlieci Ewing in Ferris, 1932.

I am indebted to Dr E. R. Brygoo for sending me the material of the new species and

to Dr Loïc Matile of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle for the loan of the type

slide of P. avahidis. This slide is labelled “ Type Phthirpediculus avahidis ” and the second

label has details of the locality, host and collector as in the published description. There

are two females as stated, but also two males ; these are small and inconspicuous and were,

no doubt, overlooked. As no holotype has been marked on the slide it is necessary to

designate one of the females as lectotype : this has been done and the slide marked accor-

dingly. No specimens of propitheci having been seen, comparions hâve been made with

the figures of Ferris (1932 : 296-297) ; his terminology for the parts of the male genitalia

has been followed. Ail references, therefore, to the characters of this species refer to the

Ferris figures.

Phthirpediculus brygooi n. sp.

Description

Head and thorax as in figure of avahidis in Paulian (1960, fîg. la) except that the stout

seta at the postero-lateral corner of the head has been omitted in that figure ; it is shown

in the Ferris figures and is présent in ail three species. The male antenna as in Ferris,

but with the tubercles as in the fernale of avahidis ; propitheci appears to hâve fewer

tubercles on the head and a more rounded anterior margin. There is a tubercle on the

tliird coxa, pointed in the new species, bifid in avahidis and absent in the figure of propi-

* cjo British Muséum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London .SU'/' -5BD. Angleterre.

457, 1

658

THERESA CLAY

theci. In both avahidis and brygoci there is a single stout seta on each of the sclerites

forming the divided thoraeic sternal plate, whereas propitheci has a pair of long, probably

finer, setae on each plate.

Figs 1-2. — Phthirpediculus brygooi sp. n. : 1, Paratergite IV, $;

2, Sterna of Ç terminal segments. Seta y. shows considérable intraspecific variation in length.

Abdomen with spiracles on III-VIII. Paratergites on segments III-VIII, III-V1

similar in shape but becoming smaller towards the posterior end of the abdomen ; sclero-

tization of VII and VIII greatly redueed ; chaetotoxy of paratergite III-VII as in figure 1,

VIII with two elongate setae only. P. avahidis difîers in having the outer seta of III-VII

longer 0.076, $ 0.100 on IV) than in brygooi (<$ 0.015, $ 0.022) ; propitheci has two long

inner setae, the two posterior setae are smaller and the plate difîers in shape. The chaeto-

taxy and the shape of the plate in the two most recent species invalidâtes couplet 7 of the key

in Ferris, 1951 : 163. Male génital plate faintly sclerotized and similar in shape to that

of propitheci, not apparent in the available specimens of avahidis. Dorsum and venter of

male and female abdomens tranversely rugose with numerous minute spines in female ava-

hidis (Paulian, fig. 1 d), these being less numerous in the male and présent only anterior

to the vulval margin of the female in brygooi. Female génital région similar in the three

species ; central setae 4 and 6 in figures of propitheci, 6 and 7 in the two specimens of avahidis

(not 8 as shown in figure) and 6 in brygooi, this latter species difîers in having the setae

borne on projections of the sclerite (fig. 2). Pointed projections front the vulval edge shorter

and less numerous than in avahidis. Both avahidis and brygooi hâve 4-5 small setae each

side, submarginal to the vulval edge (omitted in Paulian, fig. 1 d) ; in propitheci there

are in addition two longer setae each end.

Male copulatory apparatus similar in general features to that of propitheci with the

exception of the paramere which is a narrow transparent structure continuous with the

outer bar of the basal apodeme (fig. 6). Latéral sclerite (Ferris, F.) broad with distal

hooked end (fig. 4) appearing to articulate anteriorly with the curved mesal sclerite (Fer¬

ris, B) (fig. 7) ; pénis larger and difïering in detail from that of propitheci ; pseudopenis

(fig. 8) with shorter and weaker arms than tliose of the other species. Copulatory appa¬

ratus in the two specimens of avahidis distorted but similar to that of brygooi ; it is not

THE GENUS PHTHIRPEDICULUS EWING

659

possible to see the true shape of the mesal sclerite. Pénis shorter and the small ventral

sclerite (fig. 9 v) differs in shape ; the longer and thicker arms of the pseudopenis perhaps

articulate with the mesal sclerite as probably does sclerite F as in brygooi. In both spéci¬

mens of avahidis the arms are bent back on the body of the pseudopenis and hâve been

drawn in this position (fig. 10). Paramere and sclerite F (figs 5,3) similar to those of

brygooi but smaller.

Figs. 3-10. — Male copulatory apparatus of Phthirpediculus spp. : 3, Sclerite F, P. avahidis ; 4, id., P. bry¬

gooi ; 5, Paramere, P. avahidis ; 6, id., P. brygooi ; 7, Mesal sclerite and pénis, P. brygooi ; 8, Pseu¬

dopenis, P. brygooi ; 9, Pénis, J J . avahidis ; 10, Pseudopenis (bent back on itself), P. avahidis ;

b, basal apodeme ; h, head of sclerite F ; m, mesal sclerite ; v, ventral sclerite of pénis.

Chaetotaxie of the abdomen. Tergum $ : I, 2 rows of 4 setae with 1-2 minute setae

cach end ; II-VII, each with 4 central setae and a more latéral seta each side, the outer

seta of the 4 central setae on segments II-IV may be shorter and stouter than the rest ;

VIII, 1-2 short setae each side and 16-21 minute central setae. Vil lias the outer setae

each end of the 4 central considerably shorter and finer. P. avahidis as above except the cen¬

tral minute setae of VI [I are in two clumps of 4 setae each with 2-3 scattered setae. $ : I-VI

as in ^ but the outer setae of the 4 central are not shorter and more spiniform ; VII as in VI ;

VIII, a continuous row of 6 similar setae ; IX, 2 —(— 2. P. avahidis as above except that

VIII bas onlv 4 setae. I bave considered the segment with the two rows of setae to be I

not II as in Ferris, 1951 : 199 : the first two rows of setae are similar to each other, whereas

the tliird lias the arrangement as on segments III-VII ; it seems, reasonable therefore to

consider the third row to belong to segment II and the first two rows to segment I. In 1951 :

660

THERESA CLAY

199, Ferris States that the two rows are found only in the female but shows them correctly

as présent in his figure of the male. Sternum £ : 1, 0 ; II, 5-6 ; III-VII, 4 ; VIII-IX, 2.

P. avahidis difïers in having the two outer setae each side of II short and fine. $ : I-VII as

in male ; terminal segments as in fig. 2. P. avahidis as in brygooi ; propilheci appears to

hâve a greater numher of setae. Paratergal setae described above.

Dimensions (in mm.). — Head width : £ 0.142-0.157, X 0.148 (12) ; Ç 0.150-0.160, X 0.155 (5).

Head and thorax length (to posterior margin of meso-thoracic pleural ridge, Ferris, 1932 : 298) :

£ 0.262-0.270, X 0.268 (11) ; Ç 0.285-0.300, X 0.292 (4). Total length : £0.877-1.012, X 0.955

(11) ; ? 1.342-1.470, X 1.390 (5).

Material examined

P. brygooi : 12 £, 5 $ from Lemur mongoz Linn., 1766, Zoological Gardens (captive for 6 months),

Majunga, Malagasy Republic, Mardi, 1963 (E. R. Brygoo : 125/63. L. 57).

Holotype : £ with the above data deposited in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle,

Paris, at the request of Dr E. R. Brygoo. Paratypes : 11 £, 5 $ with the same data as holotype.

P. avahidis : slide marked type : 2 Ç (1 holotype, 1 paratype but specimens not marked),

2££. Lectotype of P. avahidis here designated : $ (in ink circle).

Dimensions of 2 £, 2 $ of P. avahidis. — Head width : £ 0.157. 0.146 ; Ç 0.157, 0.165. Head

and thorax length : £ 0.240, 0.236 ; Ç 0.247, 0.247. Total length £ 0.743, 0.805 ; $ 1.19, 1.21.

Discussion

These three species are most easily separated by the chaetotaxy and shape of the

paratergites ; other distinguishing characters hâve been given under the description of the

new species. Of the three known species, avahidis and brygooi resemble each other the most

closely, especially in the abdominal chaetotaxy and the form of the scleril.es of the copu-

latory apparatus.

REFERENCES

Ferris, G. F., 1932. — Contributions toward a monograph of the sucking lice. Stanford Utiiv.

Pubis (Biol.), 5 : 273-413.

— 1951. — The sucking lice. Mem. Pacif. Cst ent. Soc., 1 : 1-320.

Paulian, R., 1960. — Un nouvel Anoploure de Lemurien malgache. Bull. Soc. ent. Fr., 65 : 306-

308.

Manuscrit déposé le 4 juin 1976.

Bull. Mus. natn. Hist. nat., Paris, 3 e sér., n° 457, mars-avril 1977,

Zoologie 320 : 657-660.

Achevé d’imprimer le 30 juillet 1977.

IMPRIMERIE NATIONALE

7 564 002 7

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Les références bibliographiques apparaîtront selon les modèles suivants :

Bauchot, M.-L., J. Daget, J.-C. Hureau et Th. Monod, 1970. — Le problème des

« auteurs secondaires » en taxionomie. Bull. Mus. Hist. nat., Paris, 2 e sér., 42 (2) : 301-304.

Tinbergen, N., 1952. — The study of instinct. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 228 p.

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