Taxonomic studies on chewing louse (Phthiraptera: Insecta) Menopon gallinae (Linnaeus, 1758) collected from fowls (Amblycera: Menoponidae) from Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

Full title: Taxonomic studies on chewing louse (Phthiraptera: Insecta) Menopon gallinae (Linnaeus, 1758) collected from fowls (Amblycera: Menoponidae) from Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

The ectoparasite chewing louse (Phthiraptera: Insecta) Menopon gallinae (Linnaeus, 1758) is generally called shaft louse of fowls.It is recurrently occuring ectoparasite with strong mandibles. The size of parasitic insect issmalland colour ispale yellow which differfrom other population of chewing lice of poultry birds.Itcauses many acute and chronic symptomsby its presence on hosts birds like dissatisfaction, disappointment, irritation, frustration and annoyance behaviors. The type hosts of Menopon gallinae (Linnaeus, 1758) are Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) domestic fowl and Numida meleagris (Linnaeus, 1758) Guinea fowl. The research work was carried out during period January 2019 to March 2020. The data wascollected fromhosts Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) domestic fowl (breeds sonali and misri chickens) and Numida meleagris (Linnaeus, 1758) guinea fowl as new host and new locality records from the study area Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. It is common occuring chewing louseof poultry birds of small and medium size of galliform birds belongs to the family Phasianidae. The chewing louse Menopon gallinae (Linnaeus, 1758) was describedtaxonomically along with genital studies.The main purpose of the present study is to examine infestation and restlessnes of variety ofdomestic fowls because of parasitism with chewing louse which is always harmful for hosts. The study was design to investigate the species of chewing lice on poultry birds which are secondarry source of food by most of the peopleof Sindh province, Pakistan.