Chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the emberizidae and thraupidae (Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

RESUMO -O presente trabalho registra pela primeira vez três espécies de malófagos do gênero Myrsidea coletadas de um emberezídeo e dois traupídeos no Mato Grosso do Sul. Caracteres morfológicos de M. seminuda são adicionados para a última redescrição da espécie e uma nova chave para identificação de machos do grupo de espécies "bonariensis" é apresentada.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Cavalaria, sanhaço, pipira ABSTRACT -This paper presents the first record of three chewing lice species of the genus Myrsidea collected from one emberizid and two thraupid hosts in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Morphological characters of M. seminuda are added for the last redescription of this species and a new key to males of 'bonariensis species group' is presented.

Where are the species limits? Morphology versus genetics in Neotropical chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), with description of three new species

“…Myrsidea coronatae was first reported from mainland South America by Mascarenhas (2008) in Brazil. Later, it was recorded from Paroaria capitata in Brazil by Sychra et al (2009). Our samples are the first record of this louse from Paraguay from both hosts.…”

Phylogenetics and host‐specificity of the mega‐diverse louse genus Myrsidea (Amblycera: Menoponidae)

“…Although 95% of Myrsidea species parasitize passerine birds (order Passeriformes; Price et al, 2003), there are representatives parasitizing a few non‐passerine families, including barbets (order Piciformes, families Lybiidae and Capitonidae; Bueter et al, 2009; Soto‐Patiño et al, 2018), woodpeckers (order Piciformes, family Picidae; Ilieva, 2009), toucans (order Piciformes, family Ramphastidae; Hellenthal et al, 2005; Price et al, 2004) and hummingbirds (order Apodiformes, family Trochilidae; Dalgleish & Price, 2003a). Although there are many taxonomic studies of Myrsidea from passerines (e.g., Dalgleish & Price, 2003b; Dalgleish & Price, 2005; Kolencik et al, 2016; Kolencik et al, 2017; Kolencik et al, 2018; Kounek, Sychra, Čapek, Lipková, & Literák, 2011; Kounek, Sychra, Čapek, & Literák, 2011; Kounek et al, 2013; Price et al, 2005; Price & Dalgleish, 2006; Sychra et al, 2006; Sychra et al, 2007; Sychra et al, 2009; Valim & Weckstein, 2013), only a few authors have focused their study on those from non‐passerine birds (Carriker, 1949; Carriker & Diaz‐Ungria, 1961; Hellenthal et al, 2005; Price et al, 2004). How these non‐passerine avian host orders and families acquired their Myrsidea chewing lice remains a key unanswered question.…”

“…For example, the avian feather louse genus Myrsidea (Waterston) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) mainly parasitizes birds from the order Passeriformes (Price et al, 2003;Sychra, 2010), which includes over 6000 described bird species. However, only ~380 species of Myrsidea have been described to date (Kolencik et al, 2018).…”

“…For example, Valim and Weckstein (2013) estimated that there may be over 900 species of Myrsidea yet to be described from Brazil alone. This massive diversity of the genus Myrsidea is thought to be due, in part, to the extreme host specificity of species in this group, with estimates of more than 80%-88% of species parasitizing only a single host species (Price et al, 2003;Sychra, 2010). However, an analysis of host specificity in the context of a phylogeny for the genus Myrsidea has never been conducted.…”

“…Although there are many taxonomic studies of Myrsidea from passerines (e.g., Dalgleish & Price, 2003b;Kolencik et al, 2016;Kolencik et al, 2017;Kolencik et al, 2018;Kounek, Sychra, Čapek, Lipková, & Literák, 2011;Kounek et al, 2013;Price et al, 2005;Price & Dalgleish, 2006;Sychra et al, 2006;Sychra et al, 2007;Sychra et al, 2009;Valim & Weckstein, 2013), only a few authors have focused their study on those from non-passerine birds (Carriker, 1949;Carriker & Diaz-Ungria, 1961;Hellenthal et al, 2005;Price et al, 2004).…”