[Enderleinellus tamiasis Fahrenholz, 1916 (Anoplura: Enderleinellidae), an introduced species, and a new sucking louse for the French fauna]

Parasite. 2008 Jun;15(2):175-8

Authors: Beaucournu JC, Pisanu B, Chapuis JL

A new sucking louse is recorded for the French Anopluran fauna, Enderleinellus tomiasis found on the introduced Sciurid Tamias sibiricus. This observation highlights the maintenance of parasites when introduced with their hosts and when their hosts settle into a novel environments. It suggests a common origin for two out of four populations of Siberian chipmunks examined. The authors describe the morphological criteria that allow the distinction between the two species of Enderleinellus and each infecting a sciurid host found in our country.

PMID: 18642512 [PubMed - in process]

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What's in a name: The taxonomic status of human head and body lice.

Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2008 Mar 16;

Authors: Light JE, Toups MA, Reed DL

Human head lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae: Pediculus) are pandemic, parasitizing countless school children worldwide due to the evolution of insecticide resistance, and human body (clothing) lice are responsible for the deaths of millions as a result of vectoring several deadly bacterial pathogens. Despite the obvious impact these lice have had on their human hosts, it is unclear whether head and body lice represent two morphological forms of a single species or two distinct species. To assess the taxonomic status of head and body lice, we provide a synthesis of publicly available molecular data in GenBank, and we compare phylogenetic and population genetic methods using the most diverse geographic and molecular sampling presently available. Our analyses find reticulated networks, gene flow, and a lack of reciprocal monophyly, all of which indicate that head and body lice do not represent genetically distinct evolutionary units. Based on these findings, as well as inconsistencies of morphological, behavioral, and ecological variability between head and body lice, we contend that no known species concept would recognize these louse morphotypes as separate species. We recommend recognizing head and body lice as morphotypes of a single species, Pediculus humanus, until compelling new data and analyses (preferably analyses of fast evolving nuclear markers in a coalescent framework) indicate otherwise.

PMID: 18434207 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

A New Record for Turkish Lice Fauna: Dennyus hirundinis (Linnaeus, 1761) (Mallophaga: Menoponidae).

Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2008;32(1):77-78

Authors: Karataş A, Göçmen B, Karataş A

In this study, a bird louse Dennyus hirundinis was recorded for the first time from the swift, Apus apus living in Turkey. Since so little information is available on this rare species, the new record is briefly presented here.

PMID: 18351557 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Genomic resources for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens, and the role of VectorBase.

Infect Genet Evol. 2008 Jan 3;

Authors: Megy K, Hammond M, Lawson D, Bruggner RV, Birney E, Collins FH

High-throughput genome sequencing techniques have now reached vector biology with an emphasis on those species that are vectors of human pathogens. The first mosquito to be sequenced was Anopheles gambiae, the vector for Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria. Further mosquitoes have followed: Aedes aegypti (yellow fever and dengue fever vector) and Culex pipiens (lymphatic filariasis and West Nile fever). Species that are currently in sequencing include the body louse Pediculus humanus (Typhus vector), the triatomine Rhodnius prolixus (Chagas disease vector) and the tick Ixodes scapularis (Lyme disease vector). The motivations for sequencing vector genomes are to further understand vector biology, with an eye on developing new control strategies (for example novel chemical attractants or repellents) or understanding the limitations of current strategies (for example the mechanism of insecticide resistance); to analyse the mechanisms driving their evolution; and to perform an exhaustive analysis of the gene repertory. The proliferation of genomic data creates the need for efficient and accessible storage. We present VectorBase, a genomic resource centre that is both involved in the annotation of vector genomes and act as a portal for access to the genomic information (http://www.vectorbase.org).

PMID: 18262474 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]