How many threatened lice are there? An approximation to the red list of the Spanish Phthiraptera

Highlights

• Threatened lice are not usually included in the list of threatened invertebrate fauna.
• The conservation status of Spanish lice has been revised based on the status of their hosts.
• Thirty three species belonging to suborders Amblycera, Ischnocera, Trichodectera and Anoplura showed some extent of threat.

Abstract

Although the idea of conserving parasites as part of biodiversity is not new, these in general and lice in particular, are not included in the threatened list of invertebrate fauna. Assuming that the conservation status of a lice species is similar to that of its host, the number of threatened lice within the Spanish entomofauna was estimated based on the known host-lice assemblages. The lice parasitizing many of the Spanish birds and mammals are unknown. Overall, I found 6 extinct (EX) species; 4 critically endangered (CR); 15 endangered (EN), 7 vulnerable (VU) and 1 species near threatened (NT), at regional level. Since the status of hosts varies through time and space, it, (together with those of their lice, must be periodically updated. In addition to a number of reasons that justify the conservation of parasites, lice deserve being conserved, particularly, because of their scientific value.