Studies on Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) Species from Domestic and Wild Birds in Turkey

Abstract

This study was performed to detect chewing lice species occurring on domestic and wild birds in Turkey between October 2010 and May 2012. For this aim, the birds were brought to Veterinary Faculty of Selcuk University and Biology Department of Science Faculty of Anadolu University were examined for their lice. The louse specimens collected from the birds were preserved in eppendorf tubes contains ethyl alcohol 70%. They were cleared in Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) 10% for a day, washed within distilled water for a day and transferred to alcohol 70%, 80%, 90% and 99% at consecutive days. Then, they were mounted on the slides in Canada balsam and identified to species. Among studied 26 bird species in 24 genera and 17 families belonging to 9 orders, seventeen species (65.38%) were found to be infested with lice and no louse specimen was found in 9 bird species (34.62%). The forty-one specimens (48.23%) of examined 85 birds were found to be infested with the lice, and 32 lice species were detected. Besides, the genera Falcolipeurus, Coloceras and Struthiolipeurus, the species; Brueelia apiastri (Denny, 1842); Brueelia munda (Nitzsch, 1866); Coloceras piageti (Johnston ve Harrison, 1912); Coloceras israelensis (Tendeiro, 1974); Degeeriella nisus (Giebel, 1866); Degeeriella phylctopygus (Nitzsch, 1861); Degeeriella rufa (Burmeister, 1838); Falcolipeurus quadripustulatus (Burmeister, 1838); Laemobothrion vulturis (Fabricius, J.C., 1775); Menacanthus orioli (Blagovestchensky, 1951); Philopterus fringillae (Scopoli, 1772); Struthiolipeurus struthionis (Gervais, 1844) were recorded for the first time from the birds in Turkey. Columbicola columbae was found on the Long-eared Owl as a first record.