PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTATIONS ON THE IN VITRO REARING OF HEMATOPHAGOUS PIGEON LOUSE HOHORSTIELLA LATA (AMBLYCERA: PHTHIRAPTERA: INSECTA).

Rearing hematophagous amblyceran lice in vitro is a challenging task. The hematophagous nature and active habits of amblycerans are distinct hurdles to in vitro rearing. The literature indicates only limited success in rearing the hematophagous amblyceran avian louse. Herein we report on the results of in vitro experimentation on an amblyceran pigeon louse, Hohorstiella lata. The incubation period of eggs was 5.47 ± 0.52 days. The durations of first, second, and third nymphal instars were 5.14 ± 0.55, 5.65 ± 0.83, and 6.35 ± 0.82 days, respectively. The average lifespan of adult females (7.45 ± 5.88 days) was higher than adult males (4.61 ± 3.57 days). Adult females laid a lifetime average of 3.73 eggs at a rate of 0.45 eggs/female/day under in vitro conditions (35 ± 1 C, 75-82% relative humidity, feather diet).

Redescriptions and new host records of chewing lice of the genus Ricinus (Phthiraptera: Ricinidae) from the Neotropical Region.

Two species of the chewing louse genus Ricinus are redescribed and illustrated: Ricinus dalgleishi Nelson, 1972 from Helmitheros vermivorum (Gmelin, 1789), a new host-louse association, and Ricinus tanagraephilus Eichler, 1956 from Euphonia laniirostris d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837. Also, new host-louse associations are recorded for Ricinus vireoensis Nelson, 1972 from Vireo pallens Salvin, 1863, and for females of an unidentified species of Ricinus sp. from Corythopis delalandi (Lesson, 1831), which are described and illustrated.

New data on the taxonomy and distribution of ten Neotropical chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), including the description of a new species.

The new species Myrsidea alexanderi is described and illustrated ex Pheugopedius maculipectus (Troglodytidae) from Honduras. Redescriptions and illustrations are given for both sexes of Myrsidea chiapensis ex Calocitta formosa from Costa Rica, and the male of M. dissimilis ex Progne chalybea from Brazil. Also, seven other previously known species or subspecies of the louse genus Myrsidea are recorded and discussed from passerine birds of the Neotropical Region, as follows: Myrsidea antiqua, Myrsidea balteri, Myrsidea diffusa, Myrsidea nesomimi borealis, Myrsidea paleno, Myrsidea psittaci and Myrsidea serini. Our data increase knowledge of intraspecific morphological variability within these species, and also of their host and geographical distribution. New host-louse associations are: Agelaioides badius for M. psittaci; Basileuterus culicivorus and Myiothlypis leucoblephara for M. paleno; Mimus saturninus for M. nesomimi borealis; and Icterus dominicensis and Molothrus rufoaxillaris for Myrsidea sp.

Three new species of Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from New Zealand passerines (Aves: Passeriformes).

Myrsidea ivanliteraki new species, M. novaeseelandiae new species, and M. hihi new species are described and illustrated from New Zealand birds, with Gymnorhina tibicen, Anthornis melanura and Notiomystis cincta as type hosts respectively. Also, Myrsidea vincula is redescribed and illustrated from one sample ex Strepera fuliginosa from Australia. Keys for the identification of females and males of the five species of Myrsidea recorded from New Zealand are also given.

The Chewing Lice (Insecta, Phthiraptera) Fauna of the Swainson's Warbler, Limnothlypis swainsonii (Aves, Parulidae).

We examined Swainson's warblers (Limnothlypis swainsonii (Audubon, 1834), Aves: Parulidae) for lice fauna during 2 yr at three study sites in Arkansas, USA. A total of 66 individuals were examined; eight birds (10.6%) were parasitized with 16 lice of two new species belonging to two genera Myrsidea Waterson, 1915 (Amblycera: Menoponidae) and Brueelia Kéler, 1936 (Ischnocera: Philopteridae). Parasitological parameter data are given on the prevalence of lice on Swainson's warblers. Species descriptions and illustrations are provided for Myrsidea bensoni sp. nov. and Brueelia limnothlypiae sp. nov.; including a key for females of the genus Myrsidea that parasitize Parulidae (Passeriformes).

First record of chewing louse Heterodoxus spiniger (Insecta, Phthiraptera, Boopidae) on stray dogs from northern region of Egypt.

Heterodoxus spiniger is a rare chewing louse; infest dogs and occasionally cats with expanding geographical distribution. This preliminary report is aimed to record infestation of stray dogs in Kafr El-Sheikh city, Egypt by H. spiniger. Two dogs out of 10 were naturally infected with H. spiniger. This report is the first to demonstrate H. spiniger infestation on dogs in northern regions of Nile-delta of Egypt.

Comparative ectoparasite loads of five seabird species in the Galapagos Islands.

In this paper we describe the ectoparasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) found on 5 species of seabirds (magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens; great frigatebird Fregata minor ; Nazca booby Sula granti ; blue-footed booby Sula nebouxii ; and red-footed booby Sula sula ) on the Galapagos Archipelago. We found 9 species of ectoparasitic lice: 5 species of Pectinopygus ischnocerans, 1 infesting each host; 2 species of Colpocephalum amblyceran lice, 1 on each frigatebird species; and 2 shared amblycerans, Eidmanniella albescens (Piaget, 1880) found on Nazca and blue-footed boobies and Fregatiella aurifasciata (Kellogg, 1899) found on the 2 frigatebirds. We tested the relative importance and interactions of host sex, body size, host, island, host family, and breeding status and found that inter-island differences were the main predictors of prevalence and infestation intensity. These differences could be related to host density or weather, but further evidence is needed.

Myrsidea claytoni (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos (Passeriformes: Eurylaimidae): a case of natural host switching.

Thirty-two black-and-red broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos were examined for chewing lice in Vietnam. All birds examined were parasitized by Myrsidea claytoni. Mean abundance was 27.3, with intensity range 5-80 lice per bird. This is the first report of a Myrsidea from this host, although the females differ slightly from the original description of M. claytoni from Pycnonotus eutilotus in the shape of metanotum and of tergites I-II. So this is also the first record of 1 species of Myrsidea from 2 very distantly related hosts. Although the original hosts of M. claytoni belong to the family Pycnonotidae, C. macrorhynchos is a member of the family Eurylaimidae, representing the Old World Suboscines, which are considered as a basal lineage among passerines. Therefore, our record represents an interesting case of natural host switching. The high prevalence as well as the intensity of infestation show that M. claytoni is well established on C. macrorhynchos in Vietnam.

Chewing lice (Insecta, Phthiraptera) and feather mites (Acari, Astigmata) associated with birds of the Cerrado in Central Brazil.

The association of chewing lice and feather mites with wild birds of riparian forest was investigated in the Cerrado biome, Tocantins State, Brazil. The birds were captured with mist nets between July 2008 and March 2009. Ectoparasites were collected by the dust-ruffling technique. Infestation rates were determined by the sampling prevalence, abundance, and mean intensity of ectoparasites. A total of 1,479 chewing lice were collected that were distributed in 3 families and 18 genera, of which 15 taxa were identified to the species level. Sixteen genera of feather mites were found, and 10 species were identified. A high prevalence rate of chewing lice and feather mites was found in non-Passeriformes (66.7 and 50.0%) and Passeriformes (57.8 and 75.6%) birds. New host-parasite associations were registered for two species of chewing lice and for four species of feather mites, thus expanding the geographical distribution in Brazil of six chewing lice species. This is the first study of the ectoparasites of wild birds to be conducted in this region of Brazil.

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) found on songbirds (Passeriformes) in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to detect chewing lice species found on the songbirds at Lake Kuyucuk bird ringing station in the Kars province located in eastern Turkey. METHODS: Chewing lice were collected from songbirds captured between September and October 2009. Fifty-one birds belonging to 22 species and 16 genera from 10 families were examined for the louse. RESULTS: Eleven of 51 birds (21.57%) belonging to 7 species; were infested with at least one chewing louse species. The collected lice were identified as Menacanthus chrysophaeus (Kellogg, 1896) on Reed Bunting, Menacanthus pusillus (Nitzsch,1866) on Water Pipits, Calandra Lark and Yellow Wagtail, Myrsidea rustica (Giebel,1874) on Swallow, Brueelia cruciata (Burmeister,1838) on Red-backed Shrike, and Penenirmus rarus (Zlotorzycka,1976) on Chiffchaff. All four Reed Bunting specimens were infested with Menacanthus chrysophaeus. The rate of infestation was 100% in Reed Bunting, Red-backed Shrike and Swallow; 66.7% in Yellow Wagtail; 50% in Calandra Lark and Chiffchaff and 11.1% in Water Pipits. No louse infestation was found in the birds belonging to Paridae, Passeridae, Sylviidae, and Muscipapidae families. CONCLUSION: Menacanthus chrysophaeus on Reed Bunting and Menacanthus pusillus on Calandra Lark are new hosts for these lice species. All the louse species determined in the present study are first records for Turkey.