Weaver news

PAPER: Quelea lice

2010-04-07 (53)


Sychra O, Barlev E, Literak I, Capek M, Koubek P, Prochazka P. 2010. The chewing lice (Phthiraptera) of red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) in Senegal, with a description of a new species: research article. African Entomology 18:17-22

Abstract. One hundred and six individuals of red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) in Senegal. Chewing lice were found on 91 (86 %) birds examined. Three species of chewing lice were identified; they had the following prevalences and mean intensities : Brueelia queleae n. sp. (81 %; 5.3 lice), Myrsidea queleae (37 %; 1.7) and Machaerilaemus plocei (9 %; 1.7). These are the first records of chewing lice from red-billed quelea from Senegal. A new species of Brueelia is described and illustrated. This is the first ischnoceran louse described from this host.

Note: The authors also state that they recorded the second case of a Brueelia louse on a ploceid. Actually their record is the fourth species of weaver found with Brueelia lice, the previous three being Southern Masked Weaver (Johnson et al. 2002), Lesser Masked Weaver and Southern Red Bishop (Lindholm et al. 1998).


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