Four new species of Myrsidea (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae) from Chinese babblers (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae, Paradoxornithidae, Timaliidae).

Four new species of amblyceran chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 are described from hosts of the babbler families Leiothrichidae, Paradoxornithidae and Timaliidae in China. They are: Myrsidea attenuata n. sp. from Garrulax maesi maesi (Oustalet, 1890), Myrsidea zhangae n. sp. from Ianthocincla berthemyi (Oustalet, 1876), Myrsidea liopari n. sp. from Lioparus chrysotis amoenus (Mayr, 1941) and L. chrysotis swinhoii (Verreaux, 1871), and Myrsidea suthorae n. sp. from Suthora verreauxi verreauxi Sharpe, 1883. A checklist of host-louse associations for identified and unidentified Myrsidea species known from babblers is provided.

Review of Chinese species of the Oxylipeurus-complex (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae), with descriptions of two new genera and five new species.

Chewing lice of the Oxylipeurus-complex known from China are described and illustrated. The genera Megalipeurus Kéler, 1958 and Reticulipeurus Kéler, 1958 are considered valid, resurrected from synonymy and redescribed. Two new genera are described: Cataphractomimus new genus and Sinolipeurus new genus, which are proposed for species that do not fit into any previously described genus within the Oxylipeurus-complex. The following species are redescribed and illustrated: Reticulipeurus mesopelios (Nitzsch [in Giebel], 1866); Reticulipeurus robustus (Rudow, 1869); Reticulipeurus reevesi (Clay, 1938); Reticulipeurus baileyi (Clay, 1938); Reticulipeurus crossoptilon (Clay, 1938); Reticulipeurus ithaginis (Clay, 1938); Sinolipeurus tetraophasis (Clay, 1938) new combination. Several species previously placed in the genus Oxylipeurus are given new generic combinations. In addition, the following five new species are described and illustrated: Megalipeurus sinensis new species ex Arborophila gingica (Gmelin, 1789); Cataphractomimus mirapelta new species ex Lophophorus lhuysii Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1866; Cataphractomimus impervius new species ex Lophophorus sclateri sclateri Jerdon, 1870; Cataphractomimus junae new species and Sinolipeurus sichuanensis new species ex Tragopan temminckii (J.E. Gray, 1831).

Comparative urbanization of birds in China and Europe based on birds associated with trees.

Urbanization effects on living organisms are spatially heterogeneous. Here we quantified the abundance of birds per tree in forested urban and rural habitats for 85,829 trees mainly in China and Europe. A population model was based on the assumption that: 1) birds have a normally distributed habitat preference; 2) an increase in population size linked to the habitat preference; 3) a population size dependent on the habitat preference; and 4) the removal of a certain fraction of individuals giving rise to extinction. We tested for large-scale differences in the impact of urbanization on the frequency distribution of the difference in abundance between urban and rural habitats in China and parts of Europe. The difference in the frequency distribution of urban population density of birds in trees minus rural population density of birds in trees in China and Europe was statistically significant, suggesting that the abundance of birds differed between trees in urban and rural habitats, but more so in China than in Europe. We hypothesize that more pronounced differences in China than in Europe may have arisen due to the Four Pests Campaign in 1958-1962 that resulted in death of hundreds of millions of birds (mainly tree sparrows Passer montanus, but also numerous other less common species that were starting to become urbanized around 1960). Species that were less common in 1960 could not sustain reductions in population size in urban areas and hence these species are still rare or absent in urban areas today 60 years later.

The Influence of Host Body Size and Food Guild On Prevalence and Mean Intensity of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera) On Birds In Southern China.

Chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) are abundant ectoparasites of birds and mammals. They are adapted to life in the plumage or pelage of their hosts and virtually never leave the host during their life cycle. Most species are highly host specific. This study was carried out to determine species richness, abundance, and prevalence of chewing lice of wild forest birds in the southern region of China. Between July 2012 and June 2016, 2,210 birds (belonging to 8 orders, 45 families, and 215 species) were captured by mist nets and examined for chewing lice. In total, 622 birds of 117 species were parasitized by lice belonging to 89 species in 25 genera from 2 suborders (Amblycera and Ischnocera). Of these, 28 louse species represent new host-louse records for China and 10 worldwide. Chewing louse prevalence varied significantly among host species. There was no evidence of a correlation between climate zones and louse prevalence, but host guild affected prevalence significantly, with insectivorous birds having the lowest prevalence. Louse prevalence was positively correlated with host body mass and bill length, but mean intensity was only correlated with host body mass. These findings contribute further knowledge of avian chewing lice.

New Genus and Two New Species of Chewing Lice from Southeast Asian Trogons (Aves: Trogoniformes), with a Revised Key to the Philopterus-complex.

PURPOSE: To describe a new genus and two new species of chewing lice from Southeast Asian trogons (Trogoniformes). These lice belong in the Philopterus-complex. METHODS: Slide-mounted lice were examined in a light microscope, illustrated by means of a drawing tube, and described using standard procedures. RESULTS: The new genus and species were successfully described. CONCLUSIONS: The genus Vinceopterus n. gen. is described from two species of Southeast Asian trogons (Trogoniformes: Harpactes). It presently comprises two species: Vinceopterus erythrocephali n. sp. from three subspecies of the Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus (Gould, 1834), and Vinceopterus mindanensis n. sp. from two subspecies of the Philippine Trogon Harpactes ardens (Temminck, 1826). Vinceopterus belongs to the Philopterus-complex, and thus likely constitutes a genus of head lice. Vinceopterus is the second new genus of chewing lice discovered on Southeast Asian trogons in recent years, the first genus of presumed head lice on trogons worldwide, and the fifth genus of chewing lice known from trogons globally. A translated and revised key to the Philopterus-complex is provided, as well as notes on the various chewing lice genera known from trogons.

Seven new species of Resartor Gustafsson et Bush, 2017 (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from Asian 'babblers' (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae, Paradoxornithidae).

Seven new species of chewing lice in the genus Resartor Gustafsson et Bush, 2017 are described and illustrated. They are: Resartor albofulvus sp. n. ex Heterophasia desgodinsi desgodinsi (Oustalet); Resartor apimimus sp. n. ex Heterophasia picaoides wrayi (Ogilvie-Grant); Resartor aterrimus sp. n. ex Minla ignotincta mariae La Touche; Resartor extraneus sp. n. ex Lioparus chrysotis swinhoii (Verreaux); Resartor guangxiensis sp. n. ex Trochalopteron milnei sinianum Stresemann; Resartor longisuturalis sp. n. ex Actinodura cyanouroptera wingatei (Ogilvie-Grant); Resartor seminudus sp. n. ex Leiothrix argentauris tahanensis (Yen). All species differ in the shape of the head, shape of the male genitalia and abdominal chaetotaxy. A checklist and a key to the species of Resartor are provided.

Ten new species of Brueelia Kéler, 1936 (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from nuthatches (Aves: Passeriformes: Sittidae), tits and chickadees (Paridae), and goldcrests (Regulidae).

Ten new species of chewing lice in the genus Brueelia Kéler, 1936, are described from hosts in the families Paridae, Regulidae, and Sittidae. They are: Brueelia johnsoni n. sp. from Poecile sclateri eidos (Peters, 1927); Brueelia juniperi n. sp. from Baeolophus ridgwayi ridgwayi (Richmond, 1902); Brueelia kabulica n. sp. from Sitta tephronota tephronota Sharpe, 1872; Brueelia mpumalangensis n. sp. from Melaniparus niger niger (Vieillot, 1818); Brueelia nazae n. sp. from Parus cinereus caschmirensis Hartert, 1905; Brueelia oxyrhyncha n. sp. from Sitta nagaensis nagaensis Godwin-Austen, 1874; Brueelia picea. sp. from Parus major excelsus Buvry, 1857; Brueelia ragusica n. sp. from Sitta neumayer neumayer Michahelles, 1830; Brueelia regulicida n. sp. from Regulus calendula grinnelli Palmer, 1897; Brueelia sittacola n. sp. from Sitta carolinensis carolinensis Latham, 1790. Brueelia regulicida is the first Brueelia-complex louse to be described from the host family Regulidae. Collectively, the Brueelia of parid, regulid, and sittid hosts show two peculiar patterns. Firstly, lice on closely related hosts appear to be distantly related. Secondly, lice on most hosts in these families appear to be more closely related to lice on other host families than to each other. This contradicts the traditional view that Brueelia-complex lice on closely related hosts are themselves closely related. Potentially, the tendency of the hosts to participate in mixed-species feeding flocks may explain some of these patterns.