Columbicola tasmaniensis Tendeiro, 1967

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 : 3580

Columbicola tasmaniensis Tendeiro

( Figures 106, 107 ) Columbicola tasmaniensis Tendeiro 1967: 132 . Type host: Phaps c. chalcoptera (Latham) .

Description

Male HW, 0.31–0.34 (0.327); HL, 0.52–0.57 (0.544); HL/HW, 1.62–1.74 (1.66). Thorax with PW, 0.22–0.28 (0.246); MW, 0.29–0.36 (0.332). Genitalia asymmetrical ( Figure 106 ), with mesosomal protrusions extending over parameres; GW, 0.100 –0.132 (0.119). TL, 2.06–2.23 (2.14). Female HW , 0.33–0.37 (0.352); HL, 0.57–0.64 (0.608); HL/HW, 1.68–1.82 (1.72). Thorax with PW, 0.24–0.29 (0.268); MW, 0.33–0.37 (0.350). Subgenital plate broad, elongate ‘‘U’’–shaped band ( Figure 107 ); 2–4 minute lateral setae. TL, 2.38–2.69 (2.58).

Material

7 males, 6 females (including 6 male, 5 female paratypes of C. tasmaniensis ), ex P. chalcoptera , Tasmania (4) . 3 males, 2 females, ex P. elegans (Temminck) , South Australia (2).

Remarks

The distinctive genitalia of both sexes make identification of C. tasmaniensis straightforward. No other species of Columbicola shows such asymmetry of the male genitalia; the band–like subgenital plate of the female is also unique. Some aspects of the mesosomal structure, such as the shape of the anterior portion and arrangement of the pores, may indicate a distant relationship between this louse and those in the mjoebergi group.

All of the specimens we examined were from southeastern Australia or Tasmania, although both host species are more widely distributed. Interestingly, P. chalcoptera is parasitized by C. angustus in Western Australia, suggesting geographic specificity by different species of Columbicola on a single widespread host species.

Figures

Figures 95–111. Columbicola effeminatus: (95) female dorsal head; (96) male genitalia; (97) female ventral terminalia. C. becheti: (98) male dorsal head; (99) male genitalia; (100) female dorsal head; (101) female ventral terminalia. C. fortis: (102) male dorsal head; (103) female dorsal head; (104) male genitalia; (105) female ventral terminalia. C. tasmaniensis: (106) male genitalia; (107) female ventral terminalia. C. mjoebergi: (108) male dorsal head; (109) female dorsal head; (110) male genitalia; (111) female ventral terminalia.