PEDICULOSIS IN BLACK KITE (MILVUS MIGRANS): REPORT OF CONCURRENT ISCHNOCERAN AND AMBLYCERAN INFESTATION

A rescued black kite (Milvus migrans) presented to the Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu, exhibited active ectoparasitic infestation predominantly over breast and contour feathers. Lice were manually collected and processed for morphological identification. Examination revealed three species: amblyceran louse Laemobothrion maximum, characterized by its large size (~12 mm), broad head and prominent preocular swellings; Degeeriella fulva, a slender ischnoceran louse (2.0–2.8 mm) with a distinct head structure, five-segmented antennae and narrow abdomen; and Colpocephalum turbinatum, a smaller amblyceran louse (1.8–2.5 mm) with a subtriangular head, four-segmented antennae and well-developed mandibles. Morphological features and morphometrics of  lice were consistent with standard taxonomic descriptions. The concurrent presence of multiple lice species highlights  the  ecological  diversity  of  ectoparasites  in  raptors  and  emphasizes the importance of detailed morphological identification in wildlife parasitology.