Host: Tachyphonus delatrii Lafresnaye – Tawny-crested Tanager

Two louse species were found on this host:

Myrsidea sp. 3

Material studied. 2 females, 13 nymphs ex Tachyphonus delatrii, COSTA RICA: Barbilla NP, Provincia Limỏn (9°59’N, 85°27’W), 5–6 September 2004, Literák, Č apek & Havlίček coll. Deposited in INBio – O. Sychra CR70.

Remarks. Myrsidea sp. 3 from T. delatrii is closest to those of M. spizae and M. mitrospingi Price & Dalgleish, 2006. Price & Dalgleish (2006: 21) described M. mitrospingi based on a single female, and M. spizae from three females and two males. Although we have two females of Myrsidea sp. 3 collected from one host individual, we believe that, at present, it is unwise to name yet another new species. Further collections of Myrsidea from both the type hosts of M. spizae and M. mitrospingi as well as from Tachyphonus delatrii are needed to study further the intra-specific and inter-specific variation of these lice. Such study may show whether the differences between these species lie within the range of variability of M. spizae or M. mitrospingi, or lie outside such ranges, thus confirming Myrsidea sp. 3 as a different new species. Four of 22 birds examined were parasitised by Myrsidea sp. 3. This is the first record of chewing lice from Tachyphonus delatrii.

Machaerilaemus laticorpus (Carriker, 1903)

Menopon laticorpus Carriker, 1903: 190, pl. 7, fig. 5.

Type host. Thamnophilus doliatus (Linnaeus)

Material studied. 1 male and 1 nymph ex Tachyphonus delatrii, COSTA RICA: Barbilla NP, Provincia Limỏn (9°59’N, 85°27’W), 5 September 2004, Literák, Č apek & Havlίček coll. Deposited in INBio – O. Sychra CR76.

Remarks. One of 22 birds examined was parasitised by M. laticorpus. This is the first record of M. laticorpus from Tachyphonus delatrii.