@article {96094, title = {Coevolutionary analysis of the Philopteroides Mey, 2004 (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) parasitizing bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae)}, journal = {Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {11}, year = {2023}, month = {Mar-24-2023}, pages = {16 pp}, abstract = {

IntroductionAvian head lice comprise a diverse group of distantly related genera of lice that exhibit a strongly convergent morphology. Due to their lack of free-living stages, their strong morphological adaptations to living on the host\’s head, and the limited opportunities for transfer between hosts during mating or nesting, the lateral transmission of head lice between non-conspecific hosts may be presumed to be restricted. Despite this, many species of head lice are ostensibly host generalists. We here examine lice of the head louse genus Philopteroides Mey, 2004, from bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae).

MethodsWe use two different methods, ParaFit and Jane, to get insights on the co-evolutionary history of Philopteroides species and their bulbul hosts. Jane was run with a variation of event costs.

ResultsOur phylogenetic analysis indicate that several morphologically cryptic species can be found in this group, most of which appear to be host specific. However, co-phylogenetic analyses indicate that host-switching has been common in the history of these lice, and co-speciation events have been rarer than expected. Moreover, lowest-cost co-evolutionary reconstructions under a variety of event costs are indistinguishable from random. An expanded dataset with more Philopterus-complex lice was found to be evenly balanced between host-switching and co-speciation events.

DiscussionThe transfer of avian head lice between host species is poorly understood, but evidently fairly common. Several potential routes are discussed, but direct evidence is missing. Potentially, the presence of multiple bulbul species at fruiting trees may be an important factor in this transfer. However, such transfer routes also do not explain why Philopteroides lice on bulbuls appear to be distinct from those of other hosts. Moreover, as many of the species recovered in our analysis are morphologically indistinguishable, cryptic speciation appears to be common in this group.

}, keywords = {bulbuls, coevolution, host-switching, Philopteroides, Philopterus-complex}, issn = {2296-701X}, doi = {10.3389/fevo.2023.1053820}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1053820/full}, author = {Mengjiao Ren and Daniel R Gustafsson and Chunpo Tian and Grossi, Alexandra A. and Zhixiao Liu and Fasheng Zou} } @article {94584, title = {New Genus and Two New Species of Chewing Lice from Southeast Asian Trogons (Aves: Trogoniformes), with a Revised Key to the Philopterus-complex}, journal = {Acta Parasitologica}, volume = {64}, year = {2019}, month = {12-03-2019}, pages = {86 - 102}, abstract = {

Purpose To describe a new genus and two new species of chewing lice from Southeast Asian trogons (Trogoniformes). These lice belong in the Philopterus-complex.
Methods Slide-mounted lice were examined in a light microscope, illustrated by means of a drawing tube, and described using standard procedures.
Results The new genus and species were successfully described.
Conclusions The genus Vinceopterus n. gen. is described from two species of Southeast Asian trogons (Trogoniformes: Harpactes). It presently comprises two species: Vinceopterus erythrocephali n. sp. from three subspecies of the Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus (Gould, 1834), and Vinceopterus mindanensis n. sp. from two subspecies of the Philippine Trogon Harpactes ardens (Temminck, 1826). Vinceopterus belongs to the Philopterus-complex, and thus likely constitutes a genus of head lice. Vinceopterus is the second new genus of chewing lice discovered on Southeast Asian trogons in recent years, the first genus of presumed head lice on trogons worldwide, and the fifth genus of chewing lice known from trogons globally. A translated and revised key to the Philopterus-complex is provided, as well as notes on the various chewing lice genera known from trogons.

}, keywords = {new genus, new species, Philopterus-complex}, issn = {1230-2821}, doi = {10.2478/s11686-018-00011-x}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.2478/s11686-018-00011-x}, author = {Daniel R Gustafsson and Lujia Lei and Xingzhi Chu and Fasheng Zou and Sarah E. Bush} }