Five new species of Myrsidea Waterston (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from saltators and grosbeaks (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae)

Abstract

Five new species of Myrsidea parasitic on members of the avian family Cardinalidae are described. They and their type hosts are M. lightae ex the Buff-throated Saltator, Saltator maximus (Statius Müller, 1776), M. markhafneri ex the Slate-colored Grosbeak, S. grossus (Linnaeus, 1766), M. pittendrighi ex the Streaked Saltator, S. striatipectus Lafresnaye, 1847, and M. johnklickai and M. sychrai ex the Blue-black Grosbeak, Cyanocompsa cyanoides (Lafresnaye, 1847). Results from sequences of a portion of the mitochondrial COI gene for several specimens of two of these species and other species of Myrsidea are presented. Copyright © 2008 Magnolia Press.