Columbicola elbeli Tendeiro

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 : 3600-3601

Columbicola elbeli Tendeiro

( Figures 167, 168 ) Columbicola elbeli Tendeiro 1965: 312 . Type host: Treron p. pompadora (J. F. Gmelin) .

Description

Male head with APW, 0.113 –0.147 (0.134); HW, 0.26–0.32 (0.278); HL, 0.49–0.60 (0.536); HL/ HW, 1.75–2.04 (1.92); SL, 0.088 –0.127 (0.102); medioposterior setae short, not reaching posterior head margin. Thorax with PW, 0.19–0.25 (0.217); MW, 0.24–0.36 (0.291). Genitalia as in Figure 167 ; paramere lateral edges smooth with triangular medial expansions; mesosome triangular, indented anteriorly with small ventral protuberance; GW, 0.093 –0.127 (0.114). TL, 2.01–2.36 (2.15). Female head with APW, 0.122 –0.162 (0.144); HW, 0.26–0.34 (0.292); HL, 0.52–0.61 (0.569); HL/ HW, 1.79–2.07 (1.95). Thorax with PW, 0.20–0.26 (0.227); MW, 0.28–0.37 (0.310). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 168 ; subgenital plate groove ovoid, contracting posteriorly, edges either smooth or rough. TL, 2.23–2.61 (2.41) .

Material

17 males, 11 females (including 11 male, 5 female paratypes of C. elbeli ), ex T. pompadora , Laos, Thailand, India (6) . 19 males, 21 females (including 3 male, 5 female paratypes of C. elbeli ), ex T. vernans (L.), Thailand , Borneo, Philippines (12). 2 males, 4 females, ex T. bicinctus (Jerdon) , Thailand, Sri Lanka (2) . 3 male, 2 female paratypes of C. elbeli , ex T. phoenicopterus , Thailand (2) . 4 males, 2 females, ex Ptilinopus jambu (Gmelin) , Malaysia (1).

Remarks

Males of C. elbeli can be identified by the smooth curve of the parameres, in conjunction with the structure of the mesosome. Females are indistinguishable from C. sphenurus . Tendeiro (1965) originally described C. elbeli from eight host species. Since then, three species have been split off: C. phoenicopterae Tendeiro , C. sphenurus Tendeiro , and C. davisae . Columbicola elbeli specimens from the remaining host species vary morphologically, although the variation is subtle and overlap is common. However, future collecting of additional material could reveal that C. elbeli is still a complex of closely related species and subspecies.

Columbicola elbeli was originally known only from species of Southeast Asian Treron . Recently, however, a series of C. elbeli collected in Malaysia from Ptilinopus jambu has come to light. This series is part of the K. C. Emerson Collection (OSU) and was the source of an erroneous record of C. emersoni Tendeiro from P. jambu ( Tendeiro 1965) . We compared the genitalia, chaetotaxy, and overall dimensions of these lice to other C. elbeli specimens and found them to be indistinguishable. The host data label for these specimens is incomplete and poorly written, bringing the validity of the record into some question. Nevertheless, we have chosen to recognize the record as legitimate.

Columbicola phoenicopterae Tendeiro

( Figures 169, 170 )

Columbicola elbeli phoenicopterae Tendeiro 1965: 321 . Type host: Treron phoenicopterus chlorigaster (Blyth) .

Description

Similar to C. clayae , differing in genitalic structure. Male head with APW, 0.137 –0.152 (0.145); HW, 0.29–0.32 (0.299); HL, 0.57–0.60 (0.588); HL/ HW, 1.81–2.07 (1.96); medioposterior setae extending only to posterior head margin. Thorax with PW, 0.22–0.25 (0.239); MW, 0.27–0.34 (0.317). Genitalia as in Figure 169 ; parameres thickened anteriorly, laterally indented; mesosome thick, ‘‘V’’–shaped; GW, 0.132 –0.162 (0.141). TL, 2.18–2.40 (2.30). Female head with APW, 0.147 –0.162 (0.157); HW, 0.30–0.33 (0.316); HL, 0.60–0.64 (0.617); HL/ HW, 1.85–2.06 (1.96). Thorax with PW, 0.23–0.25 (0.244); MW, 0.31–0.34 (0.327). Ventral terminalia as in Figure 170 ; subgenital plate groove ovoid, wide; each side of subgenital plate with 2–5 minute to short setae (0.005 – 0.010). TL, 2.45–2.65 (2.53) .

Material

6 male, 8 female paratypes of C. elbeli phoenicopterae , ex T. phoenicopterus chlorigaster , India (1). 4 males, 4 females, ex T. p. phoenicopterus , Nepal, (1). 1 male paratype of C. e. elbeli , ex T. pompadora phayrei (Blyth) , Nepal (1).

Remarks

Columbicola phoenicopterae was initially described as a subspecies of C. elbeli and, because an individual male from T. pompadora phayrei was mounted along with three male and three female specimens of C. elbeli , it was listed as part of the C. e. elbeli paratype series. Tendeiro (1984) later elevated C. e. phoenicopterae to species status and, while re–examining the specimens, he identified this individual. Columbicola phoenicopterae can be distinguished from C. clayae by the structure of the mesosome and by the broader, rounder subgenital plate groove.

Figures

Figures 165–189. Columbicola davisae: (165) female ventral terminalia. C. insularis: (166) female dorsal head. C. elbeli: (167) male genitalia; (168) female ventral terminalia. C. phoenicopterae: (169) male genitalia; (170) female ventral terminalia. C. sphenurus: (171) male genitalia. C. wardi: (172) male genitalia; (173) female ventral terminalia. C. emersoni: (174) male dorsal head; (175) female dorsal head; (176) male genitalia; (177) female ventral terminalia. C. wecksteini: (178) male dorsal head; (179) female dorsal head; (180) male genitalia; (181) female ventral terminalia. C. curtus: (182) male dorsal head; (183) female dorsal head (missing antennae); (184) male genitalia. C. brygooi: (185) male genitalia; (186) female ventral terminalia. C. juliusriemeri: (187) male dorsal head; (188) male genitalia. C. obliteratus: (189) male dorsal head.