Mallophaga [ischnocera] infesting domestic pigeon and turkey in Saudi Arabia

The present study revealed that domesticated birds in Saudi Arabia are parasitised by four species of Mallophaga, all belonging to family Philopteridae and suborder Ischnocera. Meleagris gallopava domestica [turkey] may be host of one or two of the following species of Mallophaga: 1-Chlopistes meleagridis [Linnaeus, 1758] the large body louse]. 2-Lepeurus caponis [Linnaeus, 1758] [the wing louse]. Columba livia domestica [pigon] may be parasitised by: 3-Columbicola columbae [Linnaeus, 1758] [the wing louse]. Campanulotes biden [Burmeister, 1838] [the small pigeon louse]. All the mentioned species of biting lice were collected from living infested birds at different localities specially in Jeddah. Morphological structures of diagnostic importances are given for each species. This work can be considered as a new locality record for the four mentioned species of Mallophaga

Mallophaga [amblycera] infesting domestic pigeon and turkey in Saudi Arabia

The present work deals with a survey of Mallophaga infesting domestic pigeon [Columba livia domestica] and turkey [Meleagris gallopavo domestica] from Saudi Arabia. Living birds from different localities were thoroughly examined for lice infestation. The different species of biting lice were collected and prepared for parasitological study. Results revealed the presence of three species of Mallophaga, suborder Amblycera. These are Colpocephalum turbinatum Denny, 1842 from domestic pigeon, Menacnthus cornotus Schommer, 1931 and Menopon gallinae [Linnaeus, 1758] from domestic turkey. All these species belong to family Menoponidae and are newly recorded for Saudi Arabia. Descriptions of the morphological characters of each species are also given