First record of Goniodes dissimilis Denny, 1842 (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) recovered from fowls (Galliformes: Phasianidae) from Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) areparasitic insects of variety of birdswhich belongs to the family Phasianidae (Galliformes: Phasianidae) and are common on game birds. These are the parasites of both domestic and wild birdsusually all over the world.The order Phthiraptera (Amblycera and Ischnocera) divided into two notceable groups on the basis of their feeding habits, the chewing lice (Mallophaga) and the sucking lice (Anoplura). Chewing lice are the most important group with more than 3000 species identified and always causes great pathogenecity to its hosts. The chewing Lice (Order: Phthiraptera) wrapof three suborders, Amblycera, Ischnocera and Rhynchophthirina. The ectoparasites have great veterinary importance their taxonomival work which is reasonably priced in Pakistan as well as all over theworld.The chewing louse Goniodes dissimilis Denny, 1842 (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) is usually found on fowls (Galliformes: Phasianidae) which includes practically Common pea fowl Pavocristatus Linnaeus, 1758,Domestic fowl Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Turkey fowl Meleagris gallopavo (Linnaeus, 1958). The louse is small size brownish yellow pigmented slow moving philopteridand most of the time was attached to furryandglossy feathers of hosts belly or abdomin. It causes aggravation, annoyance, irritationand nervousness in behaviors of hosts. This wasfirst reported as new hosts and new locality records from the study area. The description of species was planned as taxonomically and genetically of both male and female specimens. The main purpose of the study was to check out the population density, collection, examination and investigation of variety of species of chewing lice and described systematically fromurban and rural areas of Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan