Prevalence of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera: Insecta) from Common Quail Coturnix coturnix (Aves: Galliformes: Phasianidae) from Jamshoro and Hyderabad, Sindh Pakistan

Host-parasite interaction depends on the environmental and ecological conditions that cause different biological and pathological problems. Chewing lice have a high capability to develop host specificity. In present study the chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Insecta) were examined for their population and rate of infestation on Common quail Coturnix coturnix (Aves: Galliformes: Phasianidae) from Jamshoro and Hyderabad Districts, Sindh, Pakistan. The study was conducted during 2013-2014. Twenty-six Common Quails were observed in four localities including two urban and two rural areas of Jamshoro and Hyderabad Districts. The selected birds were tagged with identity rings and 5-8 hosts in each locality were examined. Infestation of chewing lice on each bird was checked periodically in each month. Moreover, permanent microscopic slides of ectoparasites were prepared. During the study, three species of chewing lice were reported from Common Quail. Their population density on host body was recorded in each month. The prevalence of chewing lice species of Coturnix coturnix was recorded as 44.47% Cuclotogaster cinereus (Nitzsh, 1866) belongs to family Philopteridae 32.64% Menacanthus abdominalis (Piaget, 1880) and 22.87% Menacanthus cornutus belongs to family Menoponidae. The results revealed high infestation found in birds of rural localities. The present study will help to understand host-parasite interaction in study area