Mirandofures altoguineae Gustafsson & Bush, new species

(Figs 98–105)

Type host. Oreostruthus fuliginosus hagenensis De Vis, 1898 — mountain firetail. Type locality. Mount Kaindi, elev. 2300 m, Morobe District, Papua New Guinea.

Diagnosis. Mirandofures altoguineae n. sp. is separated from all other described species of Mirandofures n. gen. by the short, broad head (Fig. 100). The male genitalia of Mi. altoguineae (Figs 102–104) are similar to those of species from Lonchura spp., such as Mi. stenozona (Kellogg & Chapman, 1902) and Mi. muniae (Eichler, 1957), but separated from these by the presence of a distinct heel on the median margin of the parameres (Fig. 104) just distal to the mesosome. In Mirandofures from members of Lonchura the proximal mesosome is small and rectangular, typically not protruding much anterior to the gonopore, whereas in Mi. altoguineae it is trapezoidal and somewhat extended (Fig. 103).

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 100. Marginal carinal plate extensive, roughly crescent-shaped. Marginal temporal carina and pre- and postocular nodi more darkly pigmented than rest of head. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 98–99. Thorax and abdomen uniformly light brown, with pleurites darker.

Male. Antennae as in Fig. 100. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 4 and Fig. 98. Basal apodeme roughly rectangular (Fig. 98). Proximal mesosome trapezoidal with 5 small sensilla medianly; these sensilla may be the ames; 2 pmes on each side lateral to gonopore. Gonopore (Fig. 103) widely open distally. Mesosomal lobes slender, somewhat elongated distally; antero-lateral corner with distinct elongated nodi; lateral and distal margins rugose. Parameral heads (Fig. 104) blunt. Parameral blades much elongated, with distinct median heel just distal to mesosome; pst1–2 as in genus description. Measurements ex Oreostruthus fuliginosus hagenensis (n = 8 except n = 7 for TL): TL = 1.45–1.49; HL = 0.34–0.36; HW = 0.29–0.32; PRW = 0.20–0.22; PTW = 0.36–0.38; AW = 0.49– 0.51.

Female. Antennae as in Fig. 101. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 4 and Fig. 99. Subgenital plate rectangular (Fig. 105), distal margin with slender median extension that reaches vulval margin. Vulval margin (Fig. 105) with distinct median bulge; 3–5 long, slender vms on each side, and 5–7 short, thorn-like vss on each side; 4–5 long, slender vos on posterior margin, not following median extension and not approaching vss. Measurements ex Oreostruthus fuliginosus hagenensis (n = 14 except n = 13 for AW): TL = 1.94–2.07 (1.98); HL = 0.38–0.41 (0.40); HW = 0.33–0.35 (0.34); PRW = 0.22–0.23 (0.22); PTW = 0.39–0.41 (0.40); AW = 0.50–0.57 (0.52).

Etymology. The species epithet is formed by Latin “ altus ” for “high”, combined with the type locality, referring to the highland habitats of the host.

Type material. Ex Oreostruthus fuliginosus hagenensis: Holotype ♂, 40 road km N of Mendi, elev. 2800 m, Kagaba, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, 19 Dec. 1967, M. Nadchatram & A.B. Mirza, BBM- NG-60535 (BPBM) . Paratypes: 4♂, 7♀, same data as holotype (BPBM); 1♂, 5♀, same data as holotype, except BBM-NG-60537 (BPBM); 1♀, 40 km NNE of Mendi, elev. 2800 m, Kagaba, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, 18 Sep. 1968, A.B. Mirza, BBM-NG-97136 (BPBM) ; 1♂, 1♀, Mount Giluwe, elev. 3300 m, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, 2 Jun. 1963, J.H. Sedlacek, BBM-NG-20226 (BPBM) .