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Cospeciation has been observed multiple times between parasites and their hosts. Here we compare the phylogeny of 2 different groups of chewing lice (Phthiraptera), one known for being host specific (Amblycera: Myrsidea) and one known for including many generalist species (Ischnocera: Brueelia-complex, specifically Guimaraesiella and Priceiella) with that of their songbird hosts (Passeriformes), which are participants in mixed-species feeding flocks in South China. Using event- (Jane) and distance-based (ParaFit) analyses we found that both groups of lice have phylogenies that are more similar than by chance to those of their hosts. However, more cospeciation and host-switching events were inferred for the Myrsidea data set, whereas more duplication events and losses were inferred for the Brueelia-complex data set. Even though these louse groups are found on roughly the same host species, the differences in sorting events may be linked to the different modes of dispersal. Whereas both groups transfer by direct contact, phoresy is recorded only in lice belonging to the Brueelia-complex., (© American Society of Parasitologists 2024.)

In total, 366 birds representing 55 species in 24 families and eight orders, were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) in two high-altitude localities in Yunnan Province, China. In Ailaoshan, almost all of the birds examined were resident passeriforms, of which 36% were parasitized by chewing lice. In Jinshanyakou, most birds were on migration, and included both passerine and non-passerine birds. Of the passerine birds caught in Jinshanyakou, only one bird (0.7%) was parasitized by chewing lice. The prevalence of Myrsidea and Brueelia-complex lice on birds caught in Ailaoshan was higher than in previous reports. Of the chewing lice identifiable to species level, three represent new records for China: Actornithophilus hoplopteri (Mjöberg, 1910), Maculinirmus ljosalfar Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 and Quadraceps sinensis Timmermann, 1954. In total, 17 new host records are included, of which we describe two as new species in the Brueelia-complex: Guimaraesiella (Cicchinella) ailaoshanensis sp. nov. ex Schoeniparus dubius dubius (Hume, 1874) and G. (C.) montisodalis sp. nov. ex Fulvetta manipurensis tonkinensis Delacour & Jabouille, 1930. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9FC3D8EE-2CED-4DBE-A1DB-471B71260D27., (© 2019 The Royal Entomological Society.)

We examined Swainson's warblers (Limnothlypis swainsonii (Audubon, 1834), Aves: Parulidae) for lice fauna during 2 yr at three study sites in Arkansas, USA. A total of 66 individuals were examined; eight birds (10.6%) were parasitized with 16 lice of two new species belonging to two genera Myrsidea Waterson, 1915 (Amblycera: Menoponidae) and Brueelia Kéler, 1936 (Ischnocera: Philopteridae). Parasitological parameter data are given on the prevalence of lice on Swainson's warblers. Species descriptions and illustrations are provided for Myrsidea bensoni sp. nov. and Brueelia limnothlypiae sp. nov.; including a key for females of the genus Myrsidea that parasitize Parulidae (Passeriformes)., (© The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The tropical rainforests of Sundaland are a global biodiversity hotspot increasingly threatened by human activities. While parasitic insects are an important component of the ecosystem, their diversity and parasite-host relations are poorly understood in the tropics. We investigated parasites of passerine birds, the chewing lice of the speciose genus Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) in a natural rainforest community of Malaysian Borneo. Based on morphology, we registered 10 species of lice from 14 bird species of six different host families. This indicated a high degree of host specificity and that the complexity of the system could be underestimated with the potential for cryptic lineages/species to be present. We tested the species boundaries by combining morphological, genetic and host speciation diversity. The phylogenetic relationships of lice were investigated by analyzing the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the nuclear elongation factor alpha (EF-1α) genes sequences of the species. This revealed a monophyletic group of Myrsidea lineages from seven hosts of the avian family Pycnonotidae, one host of Timaliidae and one host of Pellorneidae. However, species delimitation methods supported the species boundaries hypothesized by morphological studies and confirmed that four species of Myrsidea are not single host specific. Cophylogenetic analysis by both distance-based test ParaFit and event-based method Jane confirmed overall congruence between the phylogenies of Myrsidea and their hosts. In total we recorded three cospeciation events for 14 host-parasite associations. However only one host-parasite link (M. carmenae and their hosts Terpsiphone affinis and Hypothymis azurea) was significant after the multiple testing correction in ParaFit.Four new species are described: Myrsidea carmenae sp.n. ex Hypothymis azurea and Terpsiphone affinis, Myrsidea franciscae sp.n. ex Rhipidura javanica, Myrsidea ramoni sp.n. ex Copsychus malabaricus stricklandii, and Myrsidea victoriae sp.n. ex. Turdinus sepiarius.

The tropical rainforests of Sundaland are a global biodiversity hotspot increasingly threatened by human activities. While parasitic insects are an important component of the ecosystem, their diversity and parasite-host relations are poorly understood in the tropics. We investigated parasites of passerine birds, the chewing lice of the speciose genus Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) in a natural rainforest community of Malaysian Borneo. Based on morphology, we registered 10 species of lice from 14 bird species of six different host families. This indicated a high degree of host specificity and that the complexity of the system could be underestimated with the potential for cryptic lineages/species to be present. We tested the species boundaries by combining morphological, genetic and host speciation diversity. The phylogenetic relationships of lice were investigated by analyzing the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the nuclear elongation factor alpha (EF-1α) genes sequences of the species. This revealed a monophyletic group of Myrsidea lineages from seven hosts of the avian family Pycnonotidae, one host of Timaliidae and one host of Pellorneidae. However, species delimitation methods supported the species boundaries hypothesized by morphological studies and confirmed that four species of Myrsidea are not single host specific. Cophylogenetic analysis by both distance-based test ParaFit and event-based method Jane confirmed overall congruence between the phylogenies of Myrsidea and their hosts. In total we recorded three cospeciation events for 14 host-parasite associations. However only one host-parasite link (M. carmenae and their hosts Terpsiphone affinis and Hypothymis azurea) was significant after the multiple testing correction in ParaFit. Four new species are described: Myrsidea carmenae sp.n. ex Hypothymis azurea and Terpsiphone affinis , Myrsidea franciscae sp.n. ex Rhipidura javanica , Myrsidea ramoni sp.n. ex Copsychus malabaricus stricklandii , and Myrsidea victoriae sp.n. ex. Turdinus sepiarius. • We newly resolved the species boundaries of representatives of chewing lice genus Myrsidea in a rainforest avian community. • Ten species of Bornean Myrsidea from 14 bird species were registered, and four new species of Myrsidea were described. • We analyzed phylogenetic relations of Myrsidea species studied and showed partial congruence of host-parasite phylogenies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present report furnishes information on the morphological features of a menoponid Amblycera infesting common mynah (Acridotheres tristris). An analysis of the crop content of the aforesaid louse indicates that it is a feather feeding louse. Presence of red content compatible with host blood was not detected in the different nymphal instars and both the sexes of the adult louse (indicating that it is a probable non-haematophagous louse). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survey of literature showed that the population characteristics of the phthirapterans parasitizing striated babblers deserved investigation. Hence, 30 birds were examined during 2007-2009 in district Rampur U.P. The prevalence of an amblyceran louse, Myrsidea salimalii on striated babblers was 40%. The mean intensity of infestation and the sample mean abundance were 33.5 and 13.4, respectively. The variance to mean ratio of the population exceeded unity (36.24). The frequency distribution pattern of the louse was aggregated but did not conform to the negative binomial model. Females outnumbered the males in natural condition (M:F-1:1.4) while the nymphal population had an edge over adult population (A:N-1:1.3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]