New Species of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) of Common Myna Acridotheres tristis (Passeriformes: Sturnidae) from Pakistan

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) are obligatory parasites of birds and mammals. Little attention has been given to chewing lice species in Pakistan; hence this is a contribution towards the chewing lice fauna of the country. In the present work, two new species of chewing lice were recovered from common and native bird Acridotheres tristis (Common Myna) (Passeriformes: Sturnidae) in Sindh, Pakistan. During the examination of 80 birds of A. tristis, 65 birds produced two new species of chewing lice, belonging to genus Myrsidea (Amblycera: Menoponidae) and genus Sturnidoecus (Ischnocera: Philopteridae); however, all birds were prevalent to chewing lice of genus Brueelia and Menacanthus. The new species are described in detail, illustrated and compared with their closest allied species found on birds of family Sturnidae.