A revision of Strigiphilus (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) from Japan

The Japanese species of the genus Strigiphilus Mjöberg, 1910 (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) are revised. Six species are recorded, including a new species belonging to the cursitans species-group: Strigiphilus stenocephalus new species, described from the type host Otus bakkamoena semitorques and based on specimens originally identified and reported by Uchida (1949) as Strigiphilus rostratus (Burmeister, 1838). A lectotype for Strigiphilus laticephalus (Uchida, 1949) (type host: Strix aluco yamadae) is designated and redescribed, and this louse species is synonymized under Strigiphilus cursor (Burmeister, 1838). Strigiphilus ceblebrachys (Denny, 1842), S. heterogenitalis Emerson & Elbel, 1957 and S. tuleskovi Balát, 1958 are recorded for the first time in Japan. Also, Strix uralensis and Otus sunia japonicus are recorded as new hosts for Strigiphilus heterogenitalis and S. tuleskovi respectively