Two new species in the Resartor-group (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) complicate and simplify genus limits

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.