Austromenopon transversum ( Denny, 1842 )

Al-Ahmed, Azzam, Shobrak, Mohammed & Nasser, D., 2014, Chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) from Red Sea gulls with new host-parasite records, Zootaxa 3790 (4), pp. 567-576 : 570

Austromenopon transversum ( Denny, 1842)

( Figs 3 b, 4b)

Menopon transversum Denny, 1842: 201 , 226, pl. 21, fig. 7.

Austromenopon transversum ( Denny, 1842) ; Price et al. 2003: 93.

Type host: Rissa tridactyla (Linnaeus, 1758) —Black-legged kittiwake.

Material examined (n = 47). Ex Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763: 5 ♂, 11♀, 3N, Jazan Fish Market (16o54'12''N, 42o32'40''E), 24 Nov. 2012.

Ex Larus armenicus Buturlin, 1934: 4 ♂, 6♀, 1N, Jazan Fish Market (16o54'9''N, 42o32'40''E), 23 Nov. 2012.

Ex Larus michahellis Naumann, 1840: 4 ♂, 7♀, 6N, Jazan Coast (16o56'22''N, 42o32'35''E), 12 Dec. 2013.

Remarks: Species of the genus Austromenopon are parasitic on members of three bird orders, including Charadriiformes ( Price et al. 2003: 90) . The best available revision of the species from Charadriiformes is by Clay (1959). Specimens of Austromenopon are usually found on body feathers and near the host skin. Austromenopon transversum ( Figs 3 b, 4b) is the species which parasitizes most species of gulls in different parts of the world ( Price et al. 2003: 93). Some of our specimens were found with the abdomen full of host blood. This species is characterized by: a reduction of the epipharyngeal pestle and hypopharyngial sclerites; the marginal prothoracic seta long, which may exceed the thoracic segments; and very long mesothoracic seta. These are the first records of A. transversum from the Armenian ( Larus armenicus ) and the yellow-legged gulls ( Larus michahellis ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. a, male Actornithophilus piceus lari; b, male Austromenopon transversum; c, male Quadraceps punctatus clayae; d, male Quadraceps punctatus regressus; e, male Saemundssonia lari; f, female Saemundssonia lari.