New records of chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) from the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor)

Abstract

Three species of chewing lice—Eucolpocephalum femorale (Piaget, 1880) (Amblycera: Menoponidae), Ibidoecus plataleae (Denny, 1842) (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) and Ardeicola plataleae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Ischnocera: Philopteridae)—are reported from the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor Temminck & Schlegel, 1849) in Japan. These three louse species are new records for this host. The black-faced spoonbill is classified as a “Critically Endangered” species in the IUCN Red List; although its species of lice are known to infest other species of spoonbills, these lice are endangered at the population level.