Robert L. C. Pilgrim

A revision of the genus Harrisoniella (Mallophaga: Philopteridae)

Abstract Four species of the genus Harrisoniella Bedford, 1929 are recognised; 2 further species are placed in synonymy. These, together with their hosts, are H. ferox (Giebel, 1867) ( =D. irroratae Keler, 1957 new synonymy; =H. chilensis Carriker, 1964 new synonymy) on Diomedea melanophrys melanophrys, D. m. impavida, D. irrorata, D. cauta cauta, D. c. salvini, and D. bulleri; H. densa (Kellogg, 1896) on D. albatrus and D. immutabilis; H. hopkinsi Eichler, 1952 on D. exulans exulans, D. e. chionoptera, D. epomophora epomophora, and D. e. sanfordi; H. copei Timmermann, 1969 on D. nigripes. A key and illustrations to adult males and females of the species are provided and a neotype is designated for Harrisoniella ferox (Giebel, 1867). The relationships of the hosts are discussed with respect to their lice; attention is drawn to the species of Diomedeidae from which no records of Harrisoniella spp. exist. A bibliography of the genus and of all species, valid and synonymised, is given.

A revision of the genus Perineus (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae)

Abstract Six species of the genus Perineus Thompson, 1936 are recognised, including one new species. These, together with their hosts, are: P. nigrolimbatus (Giebel, 1874) on Fulmarus glacialis glacialis, F. glacialis auduboni, F. glacialis rodgersii, and F. glacialoides; P. concinnus (Kellogg & Chapman, 1899) on Diomedea albatrus, D. immutabilis, and D. nigripes; P. concinnoides Keler, 1957 on Diomedea exulans exulans, D. exulans chionoptera, D. epomophora epomophora, and D. epomophora sanfordi; P. oblongus Keler, 1957 on Diomedea irrorata; P. circumfasciatus Keler, 1957 on Diomedea melanophrys melanophrys, D. melanophrys impavida, D. cauta cauta, D. cauta salvini, D. cauta eremita, D. chrysostoma, D. chlororhynchos, D. butteri, Phoebetria palpebrata, and P. fusca; Perineus macronecti new species on Macronectes halli (type host) and Macronectes giganteus. A key and illustrations are provided to both male and female adults of all the species. Lectotypes are designated for two species already synonymised; ...

Mallophaga on the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) in New Zealand, with a Key to their Identification

Five species of lilce are reported. In the Menoponidae, Hohorstiella lata was occasionally found, Bonomiella columbae was present in three samples, and Colpocephalum turbinatum once only. In the Philopteridae, Columbicola columbae was very commonly found, and Campanulotes bidentatus compar was the next most frequent and abundant. .4n earlier report in the literature of the occurrence of Goniocotes gallinae on New Zealand rock pigeons is shown to be due to a misdetermination, and the history of the error is documented.

Descriptions of flea larvae (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae, Leptopsyllidae) found in nests of the House Martin, Delichon urbica (Aves: Hirundinidae), in Great Britain

Descriptions are provided for the larvae of five species of fleas which parasitize the House Martin, Delichon urbica, in Great Britain. There are three species of Ceratophyllus, separated, among other characters, on the basis of an anterior comb row consisting of two setae per side (Ceratophyllus hirundinis), and on the relative lengths and thicknesses of ventral setae on the second and third thoracic segments (long and slender in Ce. rusticus, while shorter and stout in Ce. farreni farreni). The larva of Callopsylla waterstoni has more teeth on the mandible (6–13) than are present in the Ceratophyllus spp. examined here, and is unusual in the presence of two ventral setae on each of the ventral plates on the ninth abdominal segment. Frontopsylla laeta (Leptopsyllidae) is easily separable from the four ceratophyllids by its mandibles, each bearing three or four large, coarse teeth and by the position of the parietal setae on the head capsule, a unique arrangement as far as is known: one pair of minute parietals is located anteriorly along the frontal sutures, while the other two pairs are close together near the front of the coronal suture, which is itself much longer than is evident in ceratophyllid larvae. Descriptions for four of the five taxa are provided for the first time. A key is provided to identify larvae found in the nests of House Martins in Great Britain, including Ce. gallinae.

Descriptions of flea larvae (Siphonaptera: Hystrichopsyllidae, Ctenophthalmidae, Leptopsyllidae) of the specific parasites of the mountain beaver (Rodentia: Aplodontidae) in North America

The larvae of the four species of primary flea parasites of the mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa (Rafinesque), are described and illustrated for the first time, and a key to their identification is provided. The larva of Hystrichopsylla schefferi Chapin is very large, with a total body length of more than 10 mm in the late third instar. Its mandible, with a series of marginal teeth along a scoop-shaped tip, is characteristic of members of the formerly recognized subgenus Hystroceras. The larvae of Paratyphloceras oregonensis Ewing and Trichopsylloides oregonensis Ewing are very similar to one another, but the former is much larger, with a total body length of about 8 mm in the late third instar, compared with 5 mm for the latter. These two species can also be separated in all instars on the basis of the setation on the abdominal segments. The larva of Dolichopsyllus stylosus (Baker) is extraordinary. The mandible bears two enormous, tusklike setae on a swollen base, the hypopharynx is a spiny, trilobed structure without setae, and there are five processes on the labial palps instead of the four typical in other species.

NEW RECORDS FOR CERATOPHYLLUS LARI (SIPHONAPTERA) AND DIAGNOSIS OF THE LARVA

Abstract New provincial records in Canada are provided for Ceratophyllus lari Holland from Ram Island, in the province of Prince Edward Island, and from Cone Island, Ontario, in each case from nests of the Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus (Lesson). The larva of C. lari was found to be morphologically indistinguishable from those of Ceratophyllus niger C. Fox and Ceratophyllus idius Jordan and Rothschild.

New synonymy between Philopterus antarcticus and Saemundssonia nivea (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae)

Abstract A new synonymy is proposed between Philopterus antarcticus Wood, 1937 and Saemundssonia nivea Timmermann, 1956 (both with type host Pagodroma nivea (Forster, 1777)). It is based on the examination and comparison of the type specimens of both nominal species, as well as several additional samples of Saemundssonia lice from Pagodroma nivea and Thalassoica antarctica (Gmelin, 1789). The present status of the senior synonym is Saemundssonia (Saemundssonia) antarctica (Wood, 1937).

A role for the amateur in New Zealand entomology.

A plea is made for greater effort to examine immature stages of our insect fauna, and it is suggested that such study is within the reach of the amateur entomologist. Examples are given of results which may arise from elucidating certain aspects of insect life-histories, and attention is drawn to areas in which our knowledge is particularly deficient. As against collecting for its own sake, which is deplored, there are many facets in the broad field of immature insect biology which will repay careful study. Brief suggestions are made as to methods of study.

An inexpensive device for increasing the usefulness of the comparison eyepiece in examining slide-mounted ectoparasitic insects

Construction and use are described for a stand to enable either or both microscopes to be rotated while examining pairs of specimens through a comparison eyepiece. The device facilitates accurate orientation of the images, enabling rapid and critical detection of similarities or differences between them.