Columbicola palmai, Adams & Price & Clayton, 2005

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 : 3586-3587

Columbicola palmai n. sp.

( Figures 126–128 )

Type host

Leucosarcia melanoleuca (Latham) .

Description

Male head as in Figure 126 ; medioposterior head setae long; APW, 0.137 –0.155 (0.147); HW, 0.31–0.34 (0.331); HL, 0.58–0.61 (0.599); HL/ HW, 1.76–1.87 (1.84); SL, 0.140 – 0.153 (0.146). Thorax with PW, 0.24–0.28 (0.266); MW, 0.33–0.37 (0.357). Genitalia as in Figure 127 ; GW, 0.103 –0.115 (0.110). TL, 2.33–2.45 (2.39). Female head as in Figure 128 ; APW, 0.162 –0.170 (0.166); HW, 0.34–0.35 (0.343); HL, 0.61–0.64 (0.632); HL/ HW 1.79 – 1.88 (1.85). Thorax with PW, 0.26–0.27 (0.266); MW, 0.36–0.38 (0.371). TL, 2.69–2.83 (2.75) .

Type material

Holotype male at OSU, ex L. melanoleuca, Mougrandra , New South Wales, Australia, 12- Dec-1982, B 37315 . Paratypes ex L. melanoleuca , New South Wales, Australia, at OSU, NMNH, UU : 1 female, same data as holotype ; 3 males, 2 females, Peach Gulley Road , 19- Jul-2002, D. H. Clayton ; 1 male, Ben Boyd National Park , 26-Aug-2002, T. Chesser ; 1 female, same except 27-Aug-2002; 2 males, 1 female, Cordeaux Road , Dapto, 29-Aug- 2002, T. Chesser .

Remarks

Columbicola palmai can be identified by its overall size, uniquely placed medioposterior head setae and distinctive male genitalia. The long female subgenital plate setae and shape of the groove, in conjunction with three long metanotal setae, distinguish female specimens of C. palmai from other Columbicola . Figure 128 was drawn from the allotype female, which unfortunately was overcleared when prepared as a specimen. Recently collected specimens revealed further details of female morphology and chaetotaxy.

Etymology

This species is named for Ricardo L. Palma, Curator of Insects, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, in appreciation for his assistance with this project and in recognition of his extensive work in louse taxonomy.

Figures

Figures 112–130. Columbicola timorensis: (112) female dorsal head; (113) female ventral terminalia. C. fradei: (114) male genitalia; (115) female ventral terminalia. C. galei: (116) male dorsal head; (117) female dorsal head; (118) male genitalia; (119) female ventral terminalia. C. fulmeki: (120) male genitalia; (121) female ventral terminalia. C. veigasimoni: (122) male dorsal head; (123) male genitalia; (124) female dorsal head; (125) female ventral terminalia. C. palmai: (126) male dorsal head; (127) male genitalia; (128) female dorsal head. C. longiceps: (129) male dorsal head; (130) female dorsal head.