Colpocephalum occidentalis Price, 1967

Palma, Ricardo L. & Peck, Stewart B., 2013, <strong> An annotated checklist of parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) from the Galápagos Islands </ strong>, Zootaxa 3627 (1), pp. 1-87 : 18

Colpocephalum occidentalis Price, 1967 New record

Colpocephalum occidentalis Price, 1967: 276 , figs 8–9.

Colpocephalum occidentalis Price, 1967 ; Price et al. 2003: 101.

Holotype ♀ in USNM.

Type host: Pelecanus occidentalis Linnaeus, 1766 .

Galápagos host: Pelecanus occidentalis urinator Wetmore, 1945 .

Galápagos localities: Isla Santiago; Isla Rábida.

Galápagos references: This paper.

Other significant references: Price et al. (2003: 101).

Material examined: 17 males, 16 females and 7 nymphs (4 samples, MONZ) .

Remarks: Kellogg & Kuwana (1902: 484) were initially puzzled by a female louse from a warbler finch ( Certhidea ), which they identified as “ Colpocephalum unciferum ” a species originally described from pelicans, but they concluded it was a case of natural straggling; however, we examined that female louse and have identified it as Colpocephalum angulaticeps . Furthermore, we examined two female lice reported by Kellogg (1906: 321) as “ Colpocephalum unciferum ”, one from “ Anous stolidus galapagoensis ” and one from “ Fregata aquila ” and have identified them as Colpocephalum turbinatum and Colpocephalum angulaticeps , respectively (see under those species). Therefore, our record of Colpocephalum occidentalis is a new record from the Galápagos Islands. However, it is possible that the two female lice reported by Ewing (1924: 82) from “ Pelecanus sp. ” as Colpocephalum unciferum Kellogg, 1896 may represent the actual first record of Colpocephalum occidentalis , but we have not been able to examine those females to confirm their identity.

At present, Pelecanus occidentalis appears to be the only host of this louse species ( Price et al. 2003: 101).