Columbicola streptopeliae

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 : 3564-3568

4. streptopeliae species group

This group consists of four species found on the host genera Streptopelia and Oena . Head very broad, narrowing anteriorly ( Figure 48 ); anterior marginal carina interrupted anteriorly, clypeus anteriorly indented ( Figure 49 ); body ovoid; each side of metanotum with two long, two short setae ( Figure 2 ). Male antenna with enlarged scape, spur on third segment ( Figure 48 ); genitalia similar to those of meinertzhageni group, with mesosome laterally divided and each side with three pores ( Figure 52 ). Female with each side of subgenital plate groove having 3–5 short setae.

Columbicola streptopeliae (Clay and Meinertzhagen)

( Figures 48–52 )

Soricella streptopeliae Clay and Meinertzhagen 1937: 276 . Type host: Streptopelia vinacea (J. F. Gmelin) .

Description

Male head as in Figure 48 ; clypeus narrow, lateral edges rounded ( Figure 49 ); APW, 0.132 –0.142 (0.137); HW, 0.44–0.46 (0.447); HL, 0.52–0.54 (0.533); HL/ HW, 1.17– 1.23 (1.19); SL, 0.142 –0.147 (0.145). Metathorax broadly expanded posteriorly, PW, 0.28; MW, 0.42–0.45 (0.440). Genitalia as in Figure 52 ; paramere outer edges relatively straight; GW, 0.118 –0.123 (0.120). TL, 1.86–1.87 (1.86). Female similar to male except as follows. Head as in Figure 50 ; antennal scape not enlarged; APW, 0.137 –0.162 (0.149); HW, 0.46–0.49 (0.475);HL,0.56–0.59(0.577);HL/ HW, 1.20–1.23 (1.22).Thorax with PW,0.29– 0.32 (0.305); MW, 0.44–0.47 (0.450). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 51 ; subgenital plate with wide, inverted, weakly ‘‘V’’–shaped groove, and 4–5 setae on each side. TL, 2.16–2.20 (2.18) .

Material

3 males, 2 females (including 1 male, 1 female paratypes of S. streptopeliae ), ex S. vinacea , Uganda, Ivory Coast (3) . 1 female, ex S. decipiens (Hartlaub and Finsch) , Uganda (1).

Remarks

This species, along with C. capicolae , C. oenae , and C. senegalensis , is readily recognized by its unique head shape and ovoid body, in conjunction with a two long, two short metanotal setal pattern. These differences led Clay and Meinertzhagen (1937) to erect the genus Soricella for the subspecies Soricella s. streptopeliae and S. s. capicolae , while recognizing that these taxa were closely related to Columbicola . Hopkins and Clay (1952) moved Soricella into Columbicola because they found that Soricella was ‘‘linked with it by intermediates and cannot be kept separate’’. Because of consistent differences in clypeal and head shapes, overall sizes, and some genitalic structures, we recognize each of the four named subspecies as a valid species. These species can be separated by examination of the clypeal region, in conjunction with overall body dimensions. The lone female ex S. decipiens represents a new host record both for the species and species group.

Columbicola capicolae (Clay and Meinertzhagen)

( Figures 53–55 )

Soricella streptopeliae capicolae Clay and Meinertzhagen 1937: 276 . Type host: Streptopelia capicola tropica (Reichenow) .

Description

Similar to C. streptopeliae , differing as follows. More rounded clypeal edges ( Figure 54 ), wider APW. Male head as in Figure 53 ; APW, 0.142 –0.157 (0.151); HW, 0.45–0.48 (0.465); HL, 0.52–0.55 (0.536); HL/ HW, 1.15–1.20 (1.18); SL, 0.147 –0.162 (0.153). Thorax with PW, 0.24–0.31 (0.286); MW, 0.45–0.48 (0.465). GW, 0.113 –0.122 (0.121). TL, 1.87–2.01 (1.94). Female head as in Figure 55 ; APW, 0.152 –0.157 (0.153); HW, 0.46–0.49 (0.478); HL, 0.54–0.57 (0.558); HL/ HW, 1.14–1.21 (1.18). Subgenital plate with 2–4 setae on each side. TL, 2.18–2.25 (2.23) .

Material

8 males, 5 females, ex S. capicola , Uganda (1).

Remarks

This species was originally described as a subspecies of Soricella streptopeliae ; however, due to the distinctly wider and rounder clypeal region, C. capicolae is now considered a valid species.

Columbicola oenae (Hopkins)

( Figures 56–60 ) Soricella streptopeliae oenae Hopkins 1941: 45 . Type host: Oena capensis (L.).

Description

Similar to C. streptopeliae , but differing as follows. Male head as in Figure 56 ; clypeus short, lateral edges rounded ( Figure 57 ); APW, 0.127 –0.137 (0.134); HW, 0.39–0.41 (0.397); HL, 0.47–0.50 (0.485); HL/ HW 1.20 – 1.26 (1.22); SL, 0.132 –0.142 (0.136). Thorax with PW, 0.25–0.26 (0.253); MW, 0.38–0.41 (0.390). Genitalia as in Figure 59 ; GW, 0.108 –0.118 (0.110). TL, 1.67–1.77 (1.71). Female head as in Figure 58 ; APW, 0.122 –0.147 (0.138); HW, 0.39–0.44 (0.422), HL, 0.50–0.53 (0.512); HL/ HW 1.14 – 1.25 (1.20). Thorax with PW, 0.24–0.27 (0.26); MW, 0.39–0.43 (0.409). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 60 , with 1–4 setae on each side of broadly rounded subgenital plate groove. TL, 1.91–2.08 (2.01) .

Material

6 males, 8 females (including 1 male, 3 female paratypes of S. streptopeliae oenae ), ex O. capensis , Uganda, Republic of South Africa (3).

Remarks

Both sexes of C. oenae can be distinguished by their small size, shortened anterior head region, and rounded clypeus ( Figure 57 ). Males have shorter, stockier parameres than other streptopeliae group lice, whereas females have fewer subgenital plate setae. To date, this is the only streptopeliae group louse not found on doves of the genus Streptopelia .

Columbicola senegalensis Tendeiro

( Figure 61 )

Columbicola streptopeliae senegalensis Tendeiro 1965: 273 . Type host: ‘‘ Streptopelia senegalensis thomé ’’5 Streptopelia senegalensis (L.).

Description

Male head ( Figure 61 ) with elongate clypeal region and squared clypeal indentation; HW, 0.44; HL, 0.52; HL/HW, 1.18. Thorax with PW, 0.31; MW, 0.49. Genitalia similar to those of C. streptopeliae . TL, 1.88. Female head similar to male, but slightly longer and without enlarged scape; HW, 0.46–0.50 (0.48); HL, 0.55–0.61 (0.58); HL/HW, 1.20–1.22 (1.21). Thorax with PW, 0.30–0.34 (0.32); MW, 0.46–0.53 (0.49). Ventral terminalia similar to those of C. streptopeliae . TL, 2.17–2.37 (2.27).

Remarks

Tendeiro (1965) based his description of this louse on two males and three females collected from S. senegalensis on the Islands of São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea. Unfortunately, the original type specimens, which were deposited at the Centro de Zoologia da Junta de Investigações do Ultramar, Lisbon, Portugal, cannot be located. Further collecting will be necessary in order to compare this louse directly to other streptopeliae group lice. Data in the above description are from Tendeiro (1965), and Figure 61 was redrawn from his figure in order to make identification of C. senegalensis easier. We feel confident of the validity of this species, given the unique shape of its clypeus and the square clypeal indentation. Neither Dickinson (2003) nor del Hoyo et al. (1997) recognize the type host subspecies, S. senegalensis thome .

Figures

Figures 40–57. Columbicola browni: (40) female dorsal head; (41) male genitalia; (42) female ventral terminalia. C. meridionalis: (43) male dorsal head; (44) female dorsal head; (45) male genitalia; (46) female ventral terminalia. C. longantennatus: (47) male dorsal head. C. streptopeliae: (48) male dorsal head; (49) male clypeus; (50) female dorsal head; (51) female ventral terminalia; (52) male genitalia. C. capicolae: (53) male dorsal head; (54) male clypeus; (55) female dorsal head. C. oenae: (56) male dorsal head; (57) male clypeus.

Figures 1–18. Columbicola columbae: (1) dorsal-ventral male. Columbicola male: (2) metanotal margin with two long, two short setal pattern; (3) metanotal margin with three long, one short setal pattern; (4) dorsoanterior head—a5anterior medial head setae (AMHS), b5posterior medial head setae (PMHS); (5) genitalia, width (GW); (6) body measurements—head length (HL), dorsoanterior head plate width (APW), head width (HW), scape length (SL), prothorax width (PW), metathorax width (MW), total length (TL). C. columbae: (7) male dorsal head (arrow5medioposterior head setae); (8) male genitalia; (9) female dorsal head; (10) female ventral terminalia. C. bacillus: (11) male genitalia; (12) female ventral terminalia. C. stresemanni: (13) male dorsal head; (14) female dorsal head. C. claviformis: (15) male dorsal head; (16) male genitalia; (17) female ventral terminalia. C. tschulyschman: (18) male dorsal head.

Figures 58–77. Columbicola oenae: (58) female dorsal head; (59) male genitalia; (60) female ventral terminalia. C. senegalensis: (61) male dorsal-ventral head. C. theresae: (62) male dorsal head; (63) female dorsal head; (64) male genitalia; (65) female ventral terminalia. C. deboomi: (66) male genitalia; (67) male dorsal head. C. orientalis: (68) male genitalia; (69) female ventral terminalia. C. hoogstraali: (70) male genitalia; (71) female ventral terminalia. C. cicchinoi: (72) male genitalia; (73) female ventral terminalia. C. carrikeri: (74) male genitalia; (75) female ventral terminalia. C. angustus: (76) male genitalia; (77) female ventral terminalia.