Columbicola paradoxus Tendeiro, 1965

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 : 3596

Columbicola paradoxus Tendeiro

( Figures 156, 157 )

Columbicola paradoxus Tendeiro 1965: 212 . Type host: Sphecotheres vieilloti flaviventris Gould ( Passeriformes : Oriolidae )— Host Error.

Description

Body robust. Male head as in Figure 156 ; narrow anteriorly, broad posteriorly; with deeply indented anterior region and elongate preantennal region; medioposterior setae short, not reaching posterior head margin; APW, 0.181 –0.186; HW, 0.48–0.49; HL, 0.66–0.68; HL/ HW, 1.38–1.39; SL, 0.108. Thorax with PW, 0.32–0.35 (0.330); MW, 0.43–0.47 (0.447). Genitalia as in Figure 157 ; parameres thin, laterally rounded; mesosome roughly rectangular, bordered by twisted, narrow transverse sclerites; GW, 0.191 –0.201 (0.196). TL, 2.30–2.47. Female unknown .

Material

Holotype male, 2 male paratypes of C. paradoxus , ex S. vieilloti flaviventris (Host Error) , collection site unknown (1).

Remarks

Females of C. paradoxus are unknown and, of the three male specimens in existence, one is missing its head. This species is similar to C. gourae , yet differs in having a more elongate preantennal region, higher HL/HW ratio, and different genitalia. Tendeiro (1965) originally placed C. paradoxus in its own species group, based on medial placement of the spiracles and the novel host association. However, the similarity of head, setal, and genitalic structures between C. paradoxus and other members of the longiceps species group is striking. Although spiracles on the available C. paradoxus specimens are indeed closer to the midline of the body than in some other Columbicola , they are close to the position of the spiracles in members of the longiceps group. Indeed, these similarities were remarked upon by Tendeiro (1984), who believed that C. paradoxus arose from within the longiceps group and should be considered part of it. We agree, and have placed C. paradoxus in the longiceps group.

This record of C. paradoxus , from what we consider to be an erroneous non– columbiform type host, is based on three specimens of lice from a single Figbird ( Sphecotheres vieilloti ) collected at an unknown locality. Figbirds are passeriform songbirds ( Oriolidae ) that are unrelated to Columbiformes . In recent years the third author (DHC) and colleagues have collected over a dozen Figbirds, as well as specimens of other members of the Oriolidae , at localities in Northern Australia and Queensland. All of these birds were thoroughly checked for lice and, although some were infested, none had Columbicola (unpub data).

Figbirds are common birds that are often present in mixed species foraging flocks with Ducula fruit pigeons and Ptilinopus fruit doves in Northern Australia (DHC pers obs). The erroneous host record could be the result of contamination during an early collecting trip. Alternatively, it may be a case of lice ‘‘straggling’’ onto Figbirds by phoretic dispersal on hippoboscid flies (see introduction). Regardless of the source of the error, the true host of C. paradoxus remains a mystery, pending the collection of additional material.

Figures

Figures 147–164. Columbicola harrisoni: (147) female ventral terminalia. C. reedi: (148) male dorsal head; (149) female dorsal head; (150) male genitalia; (151) female ventral terminalia. C. gourae: (152) male dorsal head; (153) male genitalia; (154) female dorsal head; (155) female ventral terminalia. C. paradoxus: (156) male dorsal head; (157) male genitalia. C. clayae: (158) male dorsal head; (159) female dorsal head; (160) male genitalia; (161) female ventral terminalia. C. davisae: (162) male dorsal head; (163) female dorsal head; (164) male genitalia.