Menacanthus palmai, a new species of chewing louse (Menoponidae: Amblycera: Phthiraptera) from the Coturnix coromandelica

Abstract

The new species Menacanthus palmai collected from Coturnix coromandelica (Gmelin), in Rampur district (UP), India, is described and illustrated. Morphologically the new species is close to M. abdominalis from Coturnix coturnix but differs in having long pointed ventral processes on the postero-medial angles of the second to fifth pleurites. Furthermore, these two species also differ in the number of tergal and sternal abdominal setae, and the morphology of the male genitalia. Another species, Menacanthus pallipes from C. chinensis, does not have ventral processes on the postero-medial angles of pleurites. © 2012 Indian Society for Parasitology.