Philopterus afropari Gustafsson & Najer & Zou & Bush 2022, sp. nov.

Philopterus afropari sp. nov.

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Figs 13–18; Tables 2–5

Philopterus afropari sp. nov. is not similar to any species of Philopterus known from Holarctic parid hosts, which are all characterized by having the dorsal anterior plate with pointed postero-lateral corners near ads on each side, 3–4 setae on each side on the posterior margin of the pronotum, and a long and narrow basal apodeme (Fedorenko & Vasjukova 1985; Mey 1988, 1994). In contrast, P. afropari sp. nov. lacks the pointed corners of the dorsal anterior plate, has only one posterior seta on each side of the pronotum, and has a broader basal apodeme. No species of Philopterus has been described from other African parids.

Philopterus afropari sp. nov. is somewhat similar to P. solus Tendeiro, 1962, another African species associated with a host in the Bucerotiformes (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas schalowi Neumann, 1900). These two species share the following characters: hyaline margin wide but relatively short; dorsal anterior plate broadly trapezoidal; coni small with concave anterior margins; male subgenital plate with at least 2 lateral lobes on each side and a lateral accessory sternal plate on abdominal segment IX+X (fused with subgenital plate in one specimen examined in Tendeiro 1962). Most notably, the gonopore of both species is of similar shape and the ventral section of the mesosome is largely indistinguishable from the distal basal apodeme in both species; dorsally, the mesosome of P. afropari sp. nov. (Fig. 16) appears to be similar to the dark section of the distal basal apodeme in Tendeiro’s photo of P. solus, but this section is not clearly illustrated by Tendeiro (1962), and the photo is of poor quality.

These two species can be separated by the following characters: os and pos of more or less equal length in P. afropari sp. nov. (Fig. 15), but pos much longer than os in P. solus; preantennal head longer and more slender in P. afropari sp. nov. (Fig. 15) than in P. solus; central sternal plates evidently absent in males of P. solus, but present in males of P. afropari sp. nov. (Fig. 13); lateral lobes of male subgenital plate of roughly equal size in P. solus, but posterior lobe much larger than anterior lobe in P. afropari sp. nov. (Fig. 13); basal apodeme in P. solus with clear central thickenings presumably associated with the endophallus, but no such structures visible in P. afropari sp. nov. (Figs 16–17); central posterior extension of the female subgenital plate more prominent in P. afropari sp. nov. (Fig. 18) than in P. solus. Note that P. solus is in need of a more detailed redescription before a complete comparison between these two species can be made.

The specific name refers to the fact that this is the first species of the Philopterus complex described from African parids.

Holotype SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Transvaal, Potchefstroom; 27 Jul. 1952; [F.] Zumpt leg.; ex Melaniparus cinerascens cinerascens (as Parus cinerascens); “ I.N. 1373/29 ”; MFN.

1 Subgenital plate partially obscured by gut content in single examined female, and not measured.

Paratypes SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; MFN • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype but 24 Apr. 1952; “ I.N. 1373/28 ”; MFN.

Melaniparus cinerascens cinerascens (Vieillot, 1818) – ashy tit (Paridae).

Head shape and chaetotaxy as in Fig. 15, preantennal area broad. Hyaline margin wide, extending laterally beyond marginal carina, shallowly concave medianly. Dorsal anterior plate broad, trapezoidal, with broad, blunt posterior extension. Ventral anterior plate roughly triangular, with shallowly concave anterior margin. Coni small, distal end in some specimens curved slightly anteriorly. Gular plate small, irregular. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in Figs 13–14. Measurements as in Table 5.

Male

Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 13 and Tables 2–4. Tergopleurite IX+X medianly continuous. Abdominal segments II–V with no central sternal plate, but with lateral accessory plates; segment VI with narrow, typically very fragmented central sternal plate and large lateral accessory plates. Subgenital plate with 3 lateral lobes on each side and small lateral accessory plate of segment IX+X. Basal apodeme broad (Figs 16–17), much constricted at mid-length. Mesosomal thickening large, with sinuous lateral margins and distal thickening (Fig. 16); 3 microsetae on each side of mesosome. Gonopore large (Fig. 17), widening distally. Parameres fused to basal apodeme, slender; pst1–2 as in Fig. 17.

Female

Thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 14 and Tables 2–4. Subgenital plate as in Fig. 18, with more weakly sclerotized sections on anterior and posterior ends. Vulval margin concave medianly (Fig. 18), chaetotaxy as in Fig. 18 and Table 3. Subvulval plate large, irregularly triangular, often with minute accessory plate laterally.