Mitrospingus cassinii Lawrence

Host: Mitrospingus cassinii (Lawrence) – Dusky-faced Tanager

Three louse species were found on this host:

Menacanthus eurysternus (Burmeister, 1838)

Menopon eurysternum Burmeister, 1838: 439.

Type host. Pica pica (Linnaeus)

Material studied. 1 male, 2 females and 6 nymphs ex Mitrospingus cassinii, COSTA RICA: Barbilla NP, Provincia Limỏn (9°59’N, 85°27’W), 6 September 2004, Literák, Č apek & Havlίček coll. Deposited in INBio – O. Sychra CR77.

Remarks. One of four birds examined was parasitised by M. eurysternus. This is the first record of M. eurysternus from Mitrospingus cassinii.

Myrsidea mitrospingi Price & Dalgleish, 2006

(Figs 7–9)

Myrsidea mitrospingi Price & Dalgleish, 2006: 21, fig. 30. Female only.

Type host. Mitrospingus cassinii (Lawrence)

Male (2). This species belongs to the fusca species group (sensu Price & Dalgleish 2006: 12). Mean length of head seta 10, 0.044 (n=4); seta 11, 0.099 (n=4); ratio10/11, 0.45. Gula with 4 setae on each side. Pronotum with 2 short spiniform setae and 1 finer longer one on each lateral corner. Metanotum not enlarged, with 7–8 setae on posterior margin. Metasternal plate with 4–5 long setae. Femur III with 14–17 setae in ventral setal brush.

Abdominal segments with a well-defined median gap in rows of tergal setae except tergite VIII with continuous row of tergal setae (Fig. 7). Tergal setae: I, 14–15; II, 15–16; III, 16–18; IV–VIII, 17–21. Postspiracular setae extremely long on II, IV and VIII (0.45–0.47), long on I, III and VII (0.30–0.35) and shorter but still quite long on V–VI (0.25–0.27). Margin of pleurites III–VII with 2–3 finer setae as long as other pleural spiniform setae. Sternal setae: II, 3–6 medioanterior, 16–17 marginal and aster of 5–6 robust setae on each side; III, 20–21, IV–V, 29–33; VI, 27–29; VII, 19; VIII, 6–7; remainder of plate, 5–6. Without medioanterior sternal setae. Genitalia and genital sac sclerite as in Figs. 8 and 9 respectively. Dimensions: TW, 0.46–0.47; HL, 0.29; PW, 0.29–0.30; MW, 0.43; AWIV, 0.54–0.56; TL, 1.34–1.36; GL, 0.54 – 0.56; GW, 0.15 – 0.16.

Material studied. 2 males ex Mitrospingus cassinii, COSTA RICA: Barbilla NP, Provincia Limỏn (9°59’N, 85°27’W), 6 September 2004, Literák, Č apek & Havlíček coll. Deposited in INBio – O. Sychra CR71.

Remarks. This is the first description of the male of Myrsidea mitrospingi. In the key to Myrsidea males from Thraupidae (Price & Dalgleish 2006: 23), M. mitrospingi keys to couplet 19, being similar to the male of M. rufi Price & Dalgleish, 2006. However, males of M. mitrospingi are distinguished from those of M. rufi by having larger number of setae on tergites VI–VIII, tergite VIII with a continuous row of tergal setae, and especially by the configuration of the male genital sac sclerite (compare Fig. 16 in this paper with Fig. 23 in Price & Dalgleish 2006). One of four birds examined was parasitised by M. mitrospingi.

Ricinus sp.

Material studied. 1 female ex Mitrospingus cassinii, COSTA RICA: Barbilla NP, Provincia Limỏn (9°59’N, 85°27’W), 6 September 2004, Literák, Č apek & Havlίček coll. Deposited in INBio – O. Sychra CR75.

Remarks. One of four birds examined was parasitised by Ricinus sp. This is the first record of Ricinus from Mitrospingus cassinii.