Columbicola theresae, Ansari, 1955

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 : 3568-3570

5. theresae species group

This group consists of six species from the host genera Streptopelia , Phapitreron , and Turtur . They have the anterior marginal head carina complete and rounded ( Figure 62 ); body elongate ( Figure 1 ); each side of metanotum with two long, two short setae ( Figure 2 ). Male antenna with enlarged scape, spur on third segment ( Figure 62 ); mesosome either rectangular or triangular, lateral edges with pigmented, serrated bands, and each side with numerous pores ( Figure 64 ). Female subgenital plate groove variable ( Figures 65, 75 ), rarely with minute lateral setae.

Columbicola theresae Ansari

( Figures 62–65 )

Columbicola theresae Ansari 1955: 47 . Type host: Streptopelia senegalensis cambayensis (J. F. Gmelin) .

Description

Male head narrow, as in Figure 62 ; PMHS spike–like, nearly as long as AMHS; HW, 0.24–0.27 (0.252); HL, 0.53–0.57 (0.561); HL/ HW, 2.11–2.37 (2.22). Thorax with PW 0.19–0.22 (0.206); MW, 0.24–0.29 (0.260). Genitalia as in Figure 64 ; mesosome rectangular, broader anteriorly, anterior portion with serrated, pigmented lateral bands; 3 pores on each side, with posterior pair angled medially; lateral edges of parameres nearly parallel; GW, 0.078 –0.093 (0.088). TL, 2.25–2.45 (2.35). Female head narrow, as in Figure 63 ; HW, 0.25–0.27 (0.263); HL, 0.56–0.61 (0.593); HL/ HW, 2.15–2.44 (2.25). Thorax with PW, 0.20–0.22 (0.212); MW, 0.24–0.29 (0.276). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 65 ; subgenital plate groove narrow anteriorly, wider posteriorly, with irregularly indented lateral edges; without lateral setae. TL, 2.49– 2.85 (2.63) .

Material

2 males, 2 females, ex S. senegalensis , India (1) . 5 males, 2 females, ex S. capicola , Botswana, Republic of South Africa (2) . 7 males, 17 females, ex S. chinensis suratensis (J. F. Gmelin) , India (1) . 1 male, ex S. vinacea , Ghana (1) . 5 males, 4 females, ex S. orientalis meena (Sykes) , Nepal (1).

Remarks

Columbicola theresae is one of the most widespread members of the genus, recorded from Streptopelia throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Tendeiro (1965) records C. theresae from Oena capensis , S. decipiens , and S. tranquebarica . The specimens we examined from S. orientalis and S. vinacea represent new host records for this species. The shape of the male mesosome and the pattern of its pores are distinctive. The female subgenital plate groove often, but not always, shows small irregular indentations along its lateral edges.

Columbicola deboomi Tendeiro

( Figures 66, 67 ) Columbicola deboomi Tendeiro 1969: 295 . Type host: Phapitreron leucotis (Temminck) .

Description

Male head as in Figure 67 ; pair of medioposterior setae short, not extending beyond posterior head margin; APW, 0.122; HW, 0.27; HL, 0.52; HL/HW, 1.93. Thorax with PW, 0.22; MW, 0.27. Genitalia as in Figure 66 ; mesosome narrow, expanding anteriorly, with sclerotized, serrated bands on lateral margin, and with 2 anterior, 4 posterior pores; GW, 0.103. TL, 2.28. Female unknown.

Material

Holotype male, ex P. leucotis , Philippines (1).

Remarks

The description of C. deboomi was based on a single male specimen. The elongate mesosome, in conjunction with the arrangement of its pores, is unique.

Columbicola orientalis Tendeiro ( Figures 68, 69 ) Columbicola orientalis Tendeiro 1965: 232 . Type host: Streptopelia o. orientalis (Latham) .

Description

Similar to C. theresae , differing in dimensions of head and structure of genitalia. Male HW, 0.26–0.30 (0.284); HL, 0.55–0.61 (0.595); HL/ HW, 2.03–2.18 (2.10). Thorax with PW, 0.20–0.24 (0.226); MW, 0.27–0.30 (0.289). Genitalia as in Figure 68 ; mesosome broadly triangular with serrated sclerotized lateral edges and 2 large pores; GW, 0.096 –0.108 (0.103). TL, 2.32–2.70 (2.55). Female head with HW, 0.28–0.31 (0.290); HL, 0.60–0.65 (0.620); HL/ HW, 2.06–2.24 (2.14). Thorax with PW, 0.22–0.24 (0.232); MW, 0.28–0.31 (0.296). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 69 ; subgenital plate groove narrow, oval anteriorly, widening posteriorly with smooth lateral edges, and without lateral setae. TL, 2.69–3.01 (2.83) .

Material

2 males, 11 females, ex S. o. meena, Afghanistan (1) . 6 males, 9 females, ex S. lugens (Rüppell) , Kenya (1).

Remarks

The broad, triangular mesosome of the male genitalia is instantly recognizable. Unfortunately, the female is much more difficult to identify using the structure of the subgenital plate and overall body dimensions. The presence of small subgenital plate setae on some C. hoogstraali Tendeiro , in conjunction with non–overlapping host ranges, sometimes allows the females of these two louse species to be separated, but this is not always possible. Tendeiro (1965) noted subtle differences in the shapes of the clypeal region and in the overall length of male C. orientalis from the two (allopatric) host species. However, our study of additional specimens shows sufficient overlap in these traits to convince us that lice from the two hosts are, in fact, conspecific.

Columbicola hoogstraali Tendeiro

( Figures 70, 71 )

Columbicola hoogstraali Tendeiro 1959: 692 . Type host: Streptopelia p. picturata (Temminck) .

Description

Head slightly wider than C. theresae . Male APW, 0.127 –0.142 (0.134); HW, 0.26–0.28 (0.275); HL, 0.55–0.57 (0.562); HL/ HW, 1.96–2.15 (2.05). Thorax with PW, 0.20–0.24 (0.225); MW, 0.27–0.28 (0.275). Genitalia as in Figure 70 ; mesosome unique, being rectangular, expanding anteriorly, with 2 lateral arms extending from lower half along internal edge of parameres; GW, 0.098. TL, 2.38–2.51 (2.45). Female APW, 0.142 –0.162 (0.150); HW, 0.27–0.30 (0.282); HL, 0.56–0.60 (0.575); HL/ HW, 2.00–2.11 (2.04). Thorax with PW, 0.21–0.24 (0.222); MW, 0.29–0.31 (0.295). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 71 ; subgenital plate groove elongate, narrow anteriorly, with 0–2 minute setae (0.007 –0.009) on each side. TL, 2.65–2.86 (2.72) .

Material

4 males, 4 females (including holotype male, allotype female of C. hoogstraali ), ex S. picturata , Madagascar, Reunion Island (3).

Remarks

The mesosome of the male C. hoogstraali is distinctive, whereas the subgenital plate groove of the female is nearly identical to those of C. theresae and C. orientalis . The female C. hoogstraali can be tenuously recognized using dimensions of the head and by the existence of several minute lateral subgenital plate setae. Tendeiro (1965) originally placed this species within the columbae subgroup. However, the shape of the mesosome and its serrated, sclerotized edges, and the lack of obvious subgenital plate setae, make this species more like other members of the theresae group.

Figures

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.

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.