Priceiella (Thescelovora) alliocephala Bush 2017, new species

Priceiella (Thescelovora) alliocephala Gustafsson & Bush, new species

(Figs 300–307, 317)

Type host. Platylophus galericulatus ardesiacus (Bonaparte, 1850) — crested jay. Type locality. 5° 28′ N 102° 40′ E: elev. 140 ft, [Terenganu Sultanate,] Malaysia.

Diagnosis. Priceiella (Thescelovora) alliocephala n. sp. is separated from the only other described member of Pr. (Thescelovora) n. subgen., Pr. (Th.) malacocincla (Najer & Sychra [in Najer et al.], 2014) by the following characters: dorsal preantennal suture absent in Pr. (Th.) malacocincla, but present in Pr. (Th.) alliocephala n. sp (Fig. 302); head size [length x width: 0.34 x 0.35 in male Pr. (Th.) malacocincla, and c. 0.37 x 0.38 in female Pr. (Th.) malacocincla; c. 0.42 x 0.42 in male Pr. (Th.) alliocephala, and c. 0.45 x 0.45 in female Pr. (Th.) alliocephala]; lateral margins of preantennal head more or less flat in Pr. (Th.) malacocincla, but concave in Pr. (Th.) alliocephala (Fig. 302); gonopore constricted proximally in Pr. (Th.) malacocincla, but not constricted in Pr. (Th.) alliocephala (Fig. 304); marginal thickenings of mesosomal lobes fused distally in Pr. (Th.) alliocephala (Fig. 304), but not in Pr. (Th.) malacocincla; proximal mesosome narrow in Pr. (Th.) malacocincla but broader in Pr. (Th.) alliocephala (Fig. 304). Vulval chaetotaxy overlaps between these two species, and females better separated by head shape and presence of dorsal preantennal suture.

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus and subgenus descriptions and Fig. 302. Preantennal nodi moderate. Coni much slightly longer than broad at base, reaching to or slightly beyond distal margin of scapes. Preocular nodi moderate. Postocular nodi small. Gular plate short, squat. Thoracic and abdominal segments as genus and subgenus descriptions and Figs 300–301. Tergopleurites with brown pigmentation restricted to lateral half, with translucent areas surrounding spiracle openings. Sternal plates IV–VI and subgenital plate of both sexes with light brown pigmentation; tps absent on segments II–VIII. Pleurites not modified as in other Priceiella (Fig. 317).

Male. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 8 and Fig. 300. Male genitalia distinct (Figs 303–305). Mesosome narrow anteriorly, widening just posterior to parameral heads. Proximal mesosome gently rounded. Gonopore (Fig. 304) open proximally. Mesosomal lobes broad, short, fused distally; 2 pmes microsetae on each side just lateral to gonopore; 2 ames sensilla on each side lateral to pmes. Parameral heads (Fig. 305) rounded triangular. Parameral blades slender, tapering; pst1–2 sensilla. Measurements ex Platylophus galericulatus ardesiacus (n = 2): TL = 1.32–1.36; HL = 0.42–0.43; HW = 0.42–0.43; PRW = 0.24; PTW = 0.35; AW = 0.44–0.46.

Female. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 8 and Fig. 301. Subgenital plate broadly pentagonal (Fig. 306), reaching vulval margin and flaring. Vulval margin (Fig. 306) gently rounded, with 3–4 long, slender vms on each side, and 6–7 long, thorn-like vss on each side; 4 long, slender vos on each side; distal vos situated median to vss. Measurements ex Platylophus galericulatus ardesiacus (n = 2): TL = 1.61–1.64; HL = 0.45–0.46; HW = 0.45; PRW = 0.26–0.27; PTW = 0.38; AW = 0.46–0.47.

Etymology. The species epithet is formed by Latin “ allium ” for “garlic” and Greek “ kefáli ” for head, referring to the narrowed preantennal area, unique within the genus (Figs 300–301).

Type material. Ex Platylophus galericulatus ardesiacus: Holotype ♂, 5° 28′ N 102° 40′ E: elev. 140 ft, [Terenganu Sultanate,] Malaysia, 25 Mar. 1974, Gn. Lawit Expedition, Brit. Mus. 1974-2 (NHML). Paratypes: 1♂, 2♀, same data as holotype (NHML).