Columbicola wecksteini, Adams & Price & Clayton, 2005

Adams, Richard J., Price, Roger D. & Clayton, Dale H., 2005, Taxonomic revision of Old World members of the feather louse genus Columbicola (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera), including descriptions of eight new species, Journal of Natural History 39 (41), pp. 3545-3618 : 3604-3605

Columbicola wecksteini n. sp.

( Figures 178–181 )

Type host

Ptilinopus rivoli (Prévost) .

Description

Male head as in Figure 178 ; APW, 0.132 –0.152 (0.144); HW, 0.27–0.28 (0.277); HL, 0.55–0.59 (0.573); HL/ HW, 2.04–2.11 (2.07); scape not enlarged, SL, 0.049; medioposterior setae minute. Thorax with PW, 0.21–0.22 (0.217); MW, 0.27–0.28 (0.277). Genitalia as in Figure 180 ; mesosome ‘‘T’’-shaped, anterior arms thickened laterally; GW, 0.091 –0.093 (0.092). TL, 2.16–2.28 (2.22). Female head as in Figure 179 ; APW, 0.157; HW, 0.29–0.31 (0.300); HL, 0.60–0.63 (0.0.617); HL/ HW, 2.00–2.14 (2.06). Thorax with PW, 0.23; MW, 0.30–0.31 (0.303). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 181 ; subgenital plate groove broadly rounded anteriorly, each side with 2–3 minute setae. TL, 2.58–2.72 (2.65) .

Type material

Holotype male at OSU, ex P. rivoli , New Guinea, 2-Aug-1962, BBM 21523 . Paratypes at OSU: 2 females, same data as holotype ; 2 males, 1 female, same except BBM 21521 .

Remarks

Columbicola wecksteini is similar to C. emersoni ; however, males are easily distinguished by their reduced scape and unique mesosomal structure. The anterior portion of the female subgenital plate groove is rounder and broader in C. wecksteini than in C. emersoni . Due to the limited number of female C. emersoni specimens available for study, we used the measurements given in Tendeiro (1965) for comparing the two species. According to these measurements, C. wecksteini is distinctly longer than C. emersoni .

Etymology

This species is named for Jason D. Weckstein, The Field Museum, Chicago, in recognition of his work with avian lice and in appreciation for his assistance with the collection of ectoparasites for numerous projects.

Columbicola curtus Tendeiro

( Figures 182–184 )

Columbicola emersoni curtus Tendeiro 1965: 296 . Type host: Ptilinopus purpuratus (J. F. Gmelin) .

Description

Male head as in Figure 182 ; APW, 0.132 –0.137; HW, 0.27–0.28; HL, 0.40–0.42; HL/ HW, 1.48–1.50; scape enlarged. Thorax with PW, 0.20; MW, 0.25. Genitalia as in Figure 184 ; mesosome ‘‘V’’-shaped; GW, 0.098. TL, 1.79–1.86. Female head as in Figure 183 ; APW, 0.147; HL, 0.50. Thorax with PW, 0.25; MW, 0.29. Subgenital plate groove smoothly rounded anteriorly. TL, 2.23 .

Material

Holotype male, allotype female, and 1 male paratype of C. emersoni curtus , ex P. purpuratus , Society Islands (1).

Remarks

Columbicola curtus was originally designated as a subspecies of C. emersoni ; however, the differences in head shape are distinctive enough to warrant recognition of C. curtus as a different species. The uniquely broad, anteriorly indented head is clearly visible, not just on the adults but also on the two nymphs mounted with them. The quality of these mounts is poor, with many fine details obscured. The female antennae are broken off at the scape, and the head is slightly twisted, preventing a reliable measurement of head width. Despite these problems, we have attempted to illustrate the female head as accurately as possible ( Figure 183 ).

Columbicola brygooi Tendeiro

( Figures 185, 186 ) Columbicola brygooi Tendeiro 1967: 147 . Type host: Alectroenas madagascariensis (L.).

Description

Similar to C. emersoni , differing in overall size and male and female genitalic structure. Male head with APW, 0.127 –0.137 (0.132); HW, 0.27–0.28 (0.272); HL, 0.52–0.53 (0.530); HL/HW, 1.93–1.96 (1.95); SL, 0.122 –0.132 (0.125); scape larger than for C. emersoni . Thorax with PW, 0.22–0.24 (0.230); MW, 0.26–0.27 (0.262). Genitalia as in Figure 185 ; mesosome rectangular, with long anterior groove and each side with 3 pores; GW, 0.093 –0.103 (0.098). TL, 2.20–2.36 (2.26). Female head with APW, 0.137 –0.147 (0.141); HW, 0.27–0.29 (0.283); HL, 0.54–0.57 (0.558); HL/HW, 1.93–2.04 (1.98). Thorax with PW, 0.23–0.24 (0.235); MW, 0.27–0.29 (0.283). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 186 ; subgenital plate groove long, rounded anteriorly, each side with 1–3 medium setae (0.010 –0.012). TL, 2.52–2.65 (2.58).

Material

5 males, 6 females, ex A. sganzini (Bonaparte) , Aldabra Island (1).

Remarks

Although no specimens were available from the type host, the specimens we examined from A. sganzini were identical to the measurements, photos, and figures of C. brygooi provided in Tendeiro (1967). Hence, this account represents the first description of the female C. brygooi , as well as a new host record for this species.

Figures

Figures 165–189. Columbicola davisae: (165) female ventral terminalia. C. insularis: (166) female dorsal head. C. elbeli: (167) male genitalia; (168) female ventral terminalia. C. phoenicopterae: (169) male genitalia; (170) female ventral terminalia. C. sphenurus: (171) male genitalia. C. wardi: (172) male genitalia; (173) female ventral terminalia. C. emersoni: (174) male dorsal head; (175) female dorsal head; (176) male genitalia; (177) female ventral terminalia. C. wecksteini: (178) male dorsal head; (179) female dorsal head; (180) male genitalia; (181) female ventral terminalia. C. curtus: (182) male dorsal head; (183) female dorsal head (missing antennae); (184) male genitalia. C. brygooi: (185) male genitalia; (186) female ventral terminalia. C. juliusriemeri: (187) male dorsal head; (188) male genitalia. C. obliteratus: (189) male dorsal head.