Mallophaga on the rock pigeon (Columbia livia) in New Zealand with key to their identification

Five species of lice are reported. In the Menoponidae, Hohorstiella lata was occasionally found, Bonomiella columbae was present in three samples, and Colpocepephalum turbinatum once only. In the Philopteridae, Columbicola columbae was very commonly found, and Companulotes bidentatus compar was the next most frequent and abundant. An earlier report in the literature of the occurance of Goniocotes gallinae on New Zealand rock pigeons is shown to be due to misdetermination, and the history of the errr is documented.