TWO NEW SPECIES OF MENACANTHUS (MALLOPHAGA: MENOPONIDAE) FROM WOOD-SWALLOWS (PASSERIFORMES: ARTAMIDAE)' Roger D. Price Department of Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108 ABSTRACT — Two new species of Menacanthus are described and illustrated: M. nelsoni off Artamus ctjanoptenis from Tasmania and New South Wales and M. elbeli off A. fuscus from Thailand. These represent the first Menacanthus described from the Artamidae. In a study of the mallophagan genus Menacanthus Neumann from passerine hosts, I obtained 2 series of specimens from wood-swallows (Passerifomies: Artamidae: Artamus Vieillot), a host group from which no Menacanthus have previously been described. Since these lice are distinctively different from any others I have seen, it is my purpose here to describe and illustrate these new species. In the following descriptions, morphological tenninology and num-bers for head setae are much as given by Clay ( 1969). Measurements are in millimeters. The host nomenclatine follows that of Peters (1962). Menacanthus nelsoni Price, new species fig. 1-6 Male ( fig. 1 ) : Head with preocidar slit; nodi moderately developed, associated carinae weak. Alveoli of marginal temple setae 26 and 27 closely associated, with 26 finer and shorter than 27; long occipital setae 21, 22, and 23, with alveoli in straight line; long to very long marginal temple setae 24, 27, 29, and 31; preocular setae 10 and 11 long, 9 very long, with adjacent seta 8 much shorter and finer; dorsal seta 16 mediad to setae 14 and 15 and sensillum c; no evidence of dorsal sensillum d; inner middorsal seta 17 somewhat longer than and mediad to minute outer middorsal seta 18. Antenna with slightly expanded pedicel, and undivided terminal segment, mostly concealed beneath head. Hypopharyngeal sclerites weakly developed (HS: fig. 5). With ventral spinous process (VSP: fig. 5) 0.07-0.09 long on each side arising near base of maxillary palpus. Post-mental setae each side with long and short fine seta and pair of short heavier setae (PMS: fig. 5); gula with 4 or 5 setae each side in elongate transparent area (fig. 5); row of mostly fine subocular setae, as in fig. 2. Outer central pronotal seta somewhat heavier and longer than inner seta; prosternal plate well developed but without setae other than usual 1 + 1 anterior to it (fig. 6); pronotal margin with 12 long, 4 short setae. With normal vertically oblong postnotum. Mesothorax not as sclerotized ring; 4 medioanterior mesonotal setae, alveoli of each pair close together each side; mesosternal plate triangular, with ^ Paper No. 9173, Scientific Journal Series, Minnesota Agricultural Experi-ment Station, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108. 447
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