Corresponding author: Michel P. Valim (
Academic editor: V. Smith
A new genus of chewing louse
Valim MP, Cicchino AC (2015) A remarkable new genus and a new species of chewing louse (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera, Philopteridae) from Brazil. ZooKeys 541: 57–70. doi:
The known chewing lice of the family
Among the genera belonging to the
The specimens examined for the descriptions of the new taxa were collected from a bird skin held at the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo
The nomenclature of louse head features and setae follows
Abbreviations used for both body and head setae and sensilla are given in italic and lower case (see = anterior dorsal seta = anterior seta = anterior ventral seta = dorsal submarginal seta = mandibular seta = marginal temporal seta = ocular seta = preantennal seta = preconal seta = postnodal seta = preocular seta = prothoracic postspiracular seta = postemporal seta = spine-like seta of pterothorax = occipital head sensilla = trichoid setae = ventral submarginal seta
Images were taken using a Leica DFC295 digital camera installed at a Leica DM5000 B optical microscope, and measurements of specimens were taken using the software Leica Application Suite (LAS) v.4.1.0. Measurements are in millimeters, and identified by the following abbreviations: anterior notch width (from tips of marginal carina) preantennal width (at level of temple width (at level just anterior to head length (at midline including the hyaline margin) prothorax width (at the widest point) prothorax length (at midline) pterothorax width (at the posterior level) pterothorax length (at midline) abdomen width on segment V abdomen length basal apodeme width (at the widest point) basal plate width mesosoma width (at the widest point) penial ring width (breadth of gonopore opening) paramere width (at its mid length) basal apodeme length mesosoma length (including the tip of gonopore) paramere length = BAL+MEL total genitalia length (from proximal tip of basal apodema to distal tip of paramere) total body length (from hyaline margin of head to end of tergite XI)
Currently, this complex comprises 17 named genus-group taxa. A full account of the morphology and discussions on the genera included in this complex can be found in
, gonopore , mesosome , spine-like seta of the gonapophyses
Named in honor to the late and personal friend Robert [Bob] C. Dalgleish (1940–2009) for his special disposition to listen and learn from those who disagree with him on taxonomic issues. Bob was an example of how a taxonomist might make a huge contribution in a relatively short period of time, less than ten years in his second life period of “lousying” with us (his first was during 1966–1972). It is a noun in the singular genitive, masculine.
Alto Rio Cururu, Pará, Brazil.
Measurements (n = 2):
Measurements (n = 1):
The species epithet is a composite of the Greek words
Holotype ♂ (
The morphological differences between the single species of
Considering that the
Although museum skins are good source of bird ectoparasites (
We thank Marcos A. Raposo (Curator, Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Luís F. Silveira (Curator, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil) for allowing MPV to collect ectoparasites from great jacamar skins held at ornithological collections in