Two new species in the Resartor-group (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) complicate and simplify genus limits
Abstract
The Resartor-group is a group of ten genera and subgenera within the Brueelia-complex, parasitizing a broad range of hosts in the Old World tropics. Genera within this group are morphologically similar, and the generic limits are somewhat ambiguous, particularly among the genera, Resartor Gustafsson & Bush, 2017, Timalinirmus Mey, 2017, and Turdinirmoides Gustafsson & Bush, 2017. Following the collection of two morphologically aberrant species in this group in central China, we examined genetic data from six of the 14 species of Resartor and one of the two species of Timalinirmus, as well as representatives of four other genera in the group. These data suggest that Timalinirmus is nested within Resartor, which resolves there being no significant morphological differences between these two genera, apart from head shape. One of the morphologically aberrant species is also nested within Resartor. It appears that morphological variation of this genus is wider than previously understood. In contrast, the other morphologically aberrant species is clustered with the genus Aratricerca Gustafsson & Bush, 2017, despite not sharing any morphological characters with this genus. We suggest that Timalinirmus would have been considered a synonym of Resartor, but find that the name was never made available under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and thus does not formally exist. The species previously placed in this genus are here reassigned to Resartor. An assessment of the relationships between Resartor, Aratricerca and Turdinirmus Eichler, 1951 must await more data. The two species from Hubei are here described as Resartor acutotemporalis sp. nov. ex Sinosuthora webbiana suffusa Swinhoe, 1871, and Resartor breviceps sp. nov. ex Erythrogenys gravivox gravivox (David, 1873). An updated checklist to the genus Resartor is given.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Zhengzhen Wang, Alexandra Grossi , Fasheng Zou, Minghua Yang, Daniel R. Gustafsson
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