Three new species of lice in the Brueelia-complex (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) are described and illustrated, based on material collected from monarch flycatchers (Passeriformes: Monarchidae): Brueelia (Brueelia) bongbong sp. nov. ex Grallina cyanoleuca cyanoleuca (Latham, 1801); Guimaraesiella (Guimaraesiella) duplicata sp. nov. ex Grallina bruijni Salvadori, 1875; Guimaraesiella (Guimaraesiella) megacephala sp. nov. ex Terpsiphone mutata mutata (Linnaeus, 1766). These louse species are congruent with a trend of open-country songbirds being parasitised by species of Brueelia, whereas humid-forest songbirds are generally parasitised by species of Guimaraesiella. Other examples of this trend are discussed.

Three new species of lice in the Brueelia-complex (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) are described and illustrated, based on material collected from monarch flycatchers (Passeriformes: Monarchidae): Brueelia (Brueelia) bongbong sp. nov. ex Grallina cyanoleuca cyanoleuca (Latham, 1801); Guimaraesiella (Guimaraesiella) duplicata sp. nov. ex Grallina bruijni Salvadori, 1875; Guimaraesiella (Guimaraesiella) megacephala sp. nov. ex Terpsiphone mutata mutata (Linnaeus, 1766). These louse species are congruent with a trend of open-country songbirds being parasitised by species of Brueelia, whereas humid-forest songbirds are generally parasitised by species of Guimaraesiella. Other examples of this trend are discussed.

The chewing louse Turnicola ossiani new species (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) is fully described and illustrated from the endangered plains-wanderer, Pedionomus torquatus Gould, 1840. This is the first species of chewing louse known from this host, and the first from the family Pedionomidae. The existing recovery program for the host should also consider action to safeguard the population of T. ossiani.

The chewing louse Turnicola ossiani new species (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) is fully described and illustrated from the endangered plains-wanderer, Pedionomus torquatus Gould, 1840. This is the first species of chewing louse known from this host, and the first from the family Pedionomidae. The existing recovery program for the host should also consider action to safeguard the population of T. ossiani.

The genus Turnicola Clay & Meinertzhagen, 1938a is redescribed and illustrated in detail for the first time, together with specimens here regarded as the type species of this genus, Lipeurus angustissimus Giebel, 1866. As the type series of this species has been lost, we here designate a neotype for L. angustissimus from specimens collected from the type host in Guangdong, China. Specimens from two different host species have the same COI genotype, indicating that Turnicola angustissimus is more widely distributed than previously thought. Differences in the louse prevalences between the two host species suggest that some, yet unknown, ecological factors may impact their louse communities.

The genus Turnicola Clay & Meinertzhagen, 1938a is redescribed and illustrated in detail for the first time, together with specimens here regarded as the type species of this genus, Lipeurus angustissimus Giebel, 1866. As the type series of this species has been lost, we here designate a neotype for L. angustissimus from specimens collected from the type host in Guangdong, China. Specimens from two different host species have the same COI genotype, indicating that Turnicola angustissimus is more widely distributed than previously thought. Differences in the louse prevalences between the two host species suggest that some, yet unknown, ecological factors may impact their louse communities.

Reexamination of the holotype of the louse species Esthiopterum tataupa Carriker, 1936 demonstrated that the species belongs to the genus Furnariphilus Price and Clayton, 1995 and is conspecific with Furnariphilus parkeri Price and Clayton, 1995. The Tataupa tinamou Crypturellus t. tataupa (Temminck, 1815), originally listed as the type host of this species, is not the true host. This association likely resulted from contamination during Carriker's 1934 Bolivian collections, when a furnariid...

(1) Background: The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is the most widespread raptor in Romania. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of chewing louse species and the factors influencing the epidemiology of louse infestation in the national bird populations. (2) Methods: Between 2012 and 2025, a total of 131 buzzards were collected from all over Romania, which were either roadkilled or died due to health issues. These birds were parasitologically examined, the gathered lice were identified, and...

(1) Background: The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is the most widespread raptor in Romania. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of chewing louse species and the factors influencing the epidemiology of louse infestation in the national bird populations. (2) Methods: Between 2012 and 2025, a total of 131 buzzards were collected from all over Romania, which were either roadkilled or died due to health issues. These birds were parasitologically examined, the gathered lice were identified, and...

(1) Background: The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is the most widespread raptor in Romania. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of chewing louse species and the factors influencing the epidemiology of louse infestation in the national bird populations. (2) Methods: Between 2012 and 2025, a total of 131 buzzards were collected from all over Romania, which were either roadkilled or died due to health issues. These birds were parasitologically examined, the gathered lice were identified, and...

(1) Background: The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is the most widespread raptor in Romania. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of chewing louse species and the factors influencing the epidemiology of louse infestation in the national bird populations. (2) Methods: Between 2012 and 2025, a total of 131 buzzards were collected from all over Romania, which were either roadkilled or died due to health issues. These birds were parasitologically examined, the gathered lice were identified, and epidemiological parameters were determined. (3) Results: The overall prevalence of louse infestation was 77.9%, with 4389 specimens collected. Five species were identified: Degeeriella fulva (55.7%), Craspedorrhynchus platystomus (37.4%), Colpocephalum nanum (42.0%), Colpocephalum turbinatum (7.6%), and Laemobothrion maximum (2.3%). Among the factors influencing the evolution of louse infestations, birds’ age statistically significantly affected only the mean intensity (48.0 in subadults and 28.6 in adults, p < 0.001). Combined origin and season through temperatures and relative humidity also influenced the mean intensity of infestations. Sex-ratio and nymph-to-female ratio were, in the majority, female-biased and nymph-biased. (4) Conclusions: Lice infestation patterns of common buzzards are shaped more commonly by environmental and biogeographic context than by host sex, with temperature, humidity gradients, and region of origin primarily influencing mean intensity rather than prevalence. In addition, sex ratios were consistently female-biased across all lice species, and nymph-to-female ratios suggested contrasting demographic trajectories among taxa, with evidence of expanding infrapopulations in some species and more senescent structures in others.

(1) Background: The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is the most widespread raptor in Romania. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of chewing louse species and the factors influencing the epidemiology of louse infestation in the national bird populations. (2) Methods: Between 2012 and 2025, a total of 131 buzzards were collected from all over Romania, which were either roadkilled or died due to health issues. These birds were parasitologically examined, the gathered lice were identified, and epidemiological parameters were determined. (3) Results: The overall prevalence of louse infestation was 77.9%, with 4389 specimens collected. Five species were identified: Degeeriella fulva (55.7%), Craspedorrhynchus platystomus (37.4%), Colpocephalum nanum (42.0%), Colpocephalum turbinatum (7.6%), and Laemobothrion maximum (2.3%). Among the factors influencing the evolution of louse infestations, birds’ age statistically significantly affected only the mean intensity (48.0 in subadults and 28.6 in adults, p < 0.001). Combined origin and season through temperatures and relative humidity also influenced the mean intensity of infestations. Sex-ratio and nymph-to-female ratio were, in the majority, female-biased and nymph-biased. (4) Conclusions: Lice infestation patterns of common buzzards are shaped more commonly by environmental and biogeographic context than by host sex, with temperature, humidity gradients, and region of origin primarily influencing mean intensity rather than prevalence. In addition, sex ratios were consistently female-biased across all lice species, and nymph-to-female ratios suggested contrasting demographic trajectories among taxa, with evidence of expanding infrapopulations in some species and more senescent structures in others.

Four new species of the head louse genus Schizosairhynchus Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 are described and illustrated based on specimens from Australo-Papuan starlings (Sturnidae). They are: Schizosairhynchus anahitae sp. nov. ex Mino anais orientalis (Schlegel, 1871); Schizosairhynchus bilobus sp. nov. ex Aplonis panayensis strigatus (Horsfield, 1821) and Aplonis panayensis panayensis (Scopoli, 1786); Schizosairhynchus guadalcanalensis sp. nov. ex Mino kreffti (Sclater, 1869) and Schizosairhynchus sarcoplestes sp. nov. ex Sarcops calvus melanonotus Ogilvie-Grant, 1906. The species Schizosairhynchus philippensis (Tandan & Kumar, 1969), Schizosairhynchus erysichthoni Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 and Schizosairhynchus minovenator Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 are reillustrated for comparison. A key to all known species of Schizosairhynchus is given. Also, a list of species of lice belonging to head ecomorph genera parasitizing species of Sturnidae is provided.

Four new species of the head louse genus Schizosairhynchus Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 are described and illustrated based on specimens from Australo-Papuan starlings (Sturnidae). They are: Schizosairhynchus anahitae sp. nov. ex Mino anais orientalis (Schlegel, 1871); Schizosairhynchus bilobus sp. nov. ex Aplonis panayensis strigatus (Horsfield, 1821) and Aplonis panayensis panayensis (Scopoli, 1786); Schizosairhynchus guadalcanalensis sp. nov. ex Mino kreffti (Sclater, 1869) and Schizosairhynchus sarcoplestes sp. nov. ex Sarcops calvus melanonotus Ogilvie-Grant, 1906. The species Schizosairhynchus philippensis (Tandan & Kumar, 1969), Schizosairhynchus erysichthoni Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 and Schizosairhynchus minovenator Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 are reillustrated for comparison. A key to all known species of Schizosairhynchus is given. Also, a list of species of lice belonging to head ecomorph genera parasitizing species of Sturnidae is provided.

Comprehensive phylogenies serve as foundations for taxonomic, comparative, and coevolutionary studies. Avian feather lice comprise the most diverse Parvorder (Ischnocera) of parasitic lice (Phthiraptera). Convergence and reduction of morphological features in this group have made past attempts at understanding the evolutionary relationships of feather lice challenging. Several recent phylogenomic studies have begun shedding light on the broader scale evolutionary tree of this group. However, additional taxonomic sampling is needed for a more complete understanding of the phylogeny and for higher statistical power in comparative studies. Here we investigate the higher-level relationships of feather lice based on the most comprehensive taxon sample to date. We leverage genome sequences of 260 samples of feather lice and 25 outgroup taxa to reconstruct a phylogenomic tree based on 2,395 target nuclear ortholog genes, using both concatenated and coalescent methods. These trees provide high support across nearly all branches of the topology, resolving backbone relationships as well as more detailed relationships within major groups. These phylogenies provide a framework for future comparative studies of feather lice, including comparisons with avian phylogeny and investigating patterns of diversification.

Comprehensive phylogenies serve as foundations for taxonomic, comparative, and coevolutionary studies. Avian feather lice comprise the most diverse Parvorder (Ischnocera) of parasitic lice (Phthiraptera). Convergence and reduction of morphological features in this group have made past attempts at understanding the evolutionary relationships of feather lice challenging. Several recent phylogenomic studies have begun shedding light on the broader scale evolutionary tree of this group. However, additional taxonomic sampling is needed for a more complete understanding of the phylogeny and for higher statistical power in comparative studies. Here we investigate the higher-level relationships of feather lice based on the most comprehensive taxon sample to date. We leverage genome sequences of 260 samples of feather lice and 25 outgroup taxa to reconstruct a phylogenomic tree based on 2,395 target nuclear ortholog genes, using both concatenated and coalescent methods. These trees provide high support across nearly all branches of the topology, resolving backbone relationships as well as more detailed relationships within major groups. These phylogenies provide a framework for future comparative studies of feather lice, including comparisons with avian phylogeny and investigating patterns of diversification.

COI barcoding of Guimaraesiella chewing lice reveals unexpected geographical ranges of lice in the Old World Tropics. Lice in the group, including two species described here, are morphologically hom...

Avian feather lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) have undergone morphological diversification into ecom