Ricardo L. Palma

Multiple cophylogenetic analyses reveal frequent cospeciation between pelecaniform birds and Pectinopygus lice.

Lice in the genus Pectinopygus parasitize a single order of birds (Pelecaniformes). To examine the degree of congruence between the phylogenies of 17 Pectinopygus species and their pelecaniform hosts, sequences from mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, COI, and nuclear wingless and EF1-alpha genes (2290 nucleotides) and from mitochondrial 12S rRNA, COI, and ATPases 8 and 6 genes (1755 nucleotides) were obtained for the lice and the birds, respectively. Louse data partitions were analyzed for evidence of incongruence and evidence of long-branch attraction prior to cophylogenetic analyses. Host-parasite coevolution was studied by different methods: TreeFitter, TreeMap, ParaFit, likelihood-ratio test, data-based parsimony method, and correlation of coalescence times. All methods agree that there has been extensive cospeciation in this host-parasite system, but the results are sensitive to the selection of different phylogenetic hypotheses and analytical methods for evaluating cospeciation. Perfect congruence between phylogenies is not found in this association, probably as a result of occasional host switching by the lice. Errors due to phylogenetic reconstruction methods, incorrect or incomplete taxon sampling, or to different loci undergoing different evolutionary histories cannot be rejected, thus emphasizing the need for improved cophylogenetic methodologies.

Cophylogenetic relationships between penguins and their chewing lice

It is generally thought that the evolution of obligate parasites should be linked intimately to the evolution of their hosts and that speciation by the hosts should cause speciation of their parasites. The penguins and their chewing lice present a rare opportunity to examine codivergence between a complete host order and its parasitic lice. We estimated a phylogeny for all 15 species of lice parasitising all 17 species of penguins from the third domain of the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal rRNA gene, a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene and 55 morphological characters. We found no evidence of extensive cospeciation between penguins and their chewing lice using TreeMap 2.02β. Despite the paucity of cospeciation, there is support for significant congruence between the louse and penguin phylogenies due to possible failure to speciate events (parasites not speciating in response to their hosts speciating).

Phylogeny of “Philoceanus complex” seabird lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

The Philoceanus complex is a large assemblage of lice that parasitise procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses, and their relatives). We obtained mitochondrial 12S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I DNA sequences from 39 species from diverse hosts and localities. Resolution of deeper relationships between genera was limited, however there is evidence for two major clades, one hosted by albatrosses, the other by petrels. Based on our results, the genera hosted by albatrosses are excellent candidates for detailed analysis of cospeciation. Our results also suggest that a previous estimate of a 5-fold difference in the relative rate of sequence evolution in lice and their avian hosts is an artefact of limited taxonomic sampling.

A new species of Felicola (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) from the endangered Iberian lynx: another reason to ensure its survival

A new chewing louse species, Felicola (Lorisicola) isidoroi, is described and illustrated from a male Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus (Carnivora: Felidae) in southern Spain. Although the new species is based only on a single adult male, it was felt that the scarcity of the host and the distinctiveness of the louse warranted its description. Considering the high degree of host-specificity of this group of lice, the current conservation status of the host as the most vulnerable felid species in the world, and the low prevalence shown by the new louse, we propose the status of endangered for the louse species also. A list of parasites recorded on Lynx pardinus and other carnivore hosts from the Iberian Peninsula is given, and their host-specificity is discussed.

Fossil lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) reconsidered

Abstract Five papers describing fossils considered to be Phthiraptera (lice) by their authors are reviewed. We place the specimens described in three papers in the Acari (mites) and regard them as probably not fossils. A fourth paper describes what appears to be a fossil insect. However, we do not consider it to be a louse. The fifth paper describes a more recent fossil that differs little from extant lice.

The dilemma of conserving parasites: the case of Felicola (Lorisicola) isidoroi (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) and its host, the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)

Parasites are essential elements in healthy natural ecosystems. Also, they constitute most of the worlds biodiversity. Therefore, they deserve to be conserved together with their hosts. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is the most endangered felid in the world because it only survives in two isolated populations in the Iberian Peninsula, with no more than 300 free‐ranging individuals. Felicola (Lorisicola) isodoroi is a louse exclusively parasitic on the Iberian lynx, and it appears to be scarcer and therefore more endangered than its host. Current management activities devoted to the conservation of the Iberian lynx, such as reproduction in captivity for restocking, could compromise the survival of its louse species. In this article we revise the ectoparasites of the Iberian lynx and discuss their potential role for transmission of pathogens. Also, we propose measures which could enhance the survival of F. (L.) isidoroi.

The conservation status of small or less well known groups of New Zealand terrestrial invertebrates

A total of 27 taxa from taxonomic groups with few species, or that are less well known, are listed as Threatened, 50 taxa are At Risk, 110 taxa are Data Deficient and three taxa are Extinct. Thirteen taxa are Nationally Critical: Aceria clianthi; Eriophyoidea incertae (Acari); Cryptops sp.; Haasiella sp. (Chilopoda); Burmjapyx sp. (Diplura); Hirudobdella antipodum (Hirudinea); Antiponemertes allisonae (Nemertini); Prasmiola unica (Opiliones); and Tepakiphasma ngatikuri (Phasmatodea) are freeliving whereas the lice Apterygon okarito, Coloceras harrisoni, Rallicola takahe and Saemundssonia chathamensis (Phthiraptera) have the same threat status as their bird hosts. No taxa were considered Nationally Endangered but 14 ectoparasites are Nationally Vulnerable, including six Acari and eight Phthiraptera. The At Risk taxa comprise two that are Declining, four that are Recovering, one that is Relict and 45 taxa that are Naturally Uncommon. Earthworms (Oligochaeta) also make up 101 of the 110 Data Deficient taxa. All of the Extinct species were host-specific feather lice: two were on extinct birds and one became extinct when its host was transferred to predator-free islands. Thirty-six earthworm species that were previously Data Deficient are now ranked Not Threatened, as are five Phthiraptera that were previously ranked either Nationally Critical or Nationally Endangered and one Phasmatodea that was previously ranked Nationally Endangered.

Estudio del parasitismo gastrointestinal y externo en caiquén Chloephaga picta Gmelin, 1789 (Aves, Anatidae) en la región de Magallanes, Chile

The parasites of 16 Magellan geese (Chloephaga picta picta: 8 females and 8 males), captured in May 2002 in the Commune of Rio Verde, Province of Magallanes, XII Region, Chile, were studied. All the birds from this study were found positive for the endoparasitic nematode Heterakis dispar. In one of the birds, proglotides were found which, from a morphological analysis, belong to the family Hymenolepidae. The total number of specimens of H. dispar was greater in male geese than in females. The female/male ratio was 1.22. The larva/adult ratio was 0.41. No parasites were found in a study of goose faeces. An 87.5% of the birds were parasitised by one or more of the following louse species: Holomenopon brevithoracicum, Anaticola marginella, Anatoecus dentatus and Anatoecus icterodes, all of them belonging to the Order Phthiraptera. All these species represent new louse records from Magellan geese for Chile, as well as a new host-louse record for A. dentatus on C. picta.

New synonymies and host records for lice of the genus Menacanthus (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) from the Passeriformes (Aves)

Twenty new synonymies are proposed and 42 new host associations are given for chewing lice of the genus Menacanthus Neumann, 1912, parasitic on members of the avian order Passeriformes.

Serendipity with chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae, Philopteridae) infesting rock pigeons and mourning doves (Aves: Columbiformes: Columbidae) in Manitoba, with new records for North America and Canada

An extensive survey of chewing lice from rock pigeon, Columba livia Gmelin, and mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (L.), carried out from 1994 to 2000 and from 2003 to 2006 in Manitoba, Canada, produced the following new records: Coloceras tovornikae Tendeiro for North America; Columbicola macrourae (Wilson), Hohorstiella lata (Piaget), H. paladinella Hill and Tuff, and Physconelloides zenaidurae (McGregor) for Canada; and Bonomiella columbae Emerson, Campanulotes compar (Burmeister), Columbicola baculoides (Paine), and C. columbae (L.) for Manitoba. We collected 25 418 lice of four species (C. compar, C. columbae, H. lata, and C. tovornikae) from 322 rock pigeons. The overall prevalence of infestation was 78.9%, 52.5%, and 23.3% for C. compar, C. columbae, and H. lata, respectively. Coloceras tovornikae was not discovered until 2003, after which its prevalence was 39.9% on 114 pigeons. We collected 1116 lice of five species (P. zenaidurae, C. baculoides, C. macrourae, H. paladinella, and B. columbae) from 1...