The first morphological and molecular characterization of wing louse (Lipeurus caponis) from ornamental and indigenous chickens of West-Coast India

Lice infestation in poultry presents a substantial challenge to poultry farmers, with adverse implications for bird health, welfare, and productivity. In this study, the outbreak of wing louse infestation was recorded in ornamental and improved indigenous chicken varieties of an organized poultry farm located in the west-coast of India during the winter season. The lice were found to be attached to the underside of the wings between the feather barbs on the primary or secondary wing feathers. In addition to the active lice population, white clumps of lice's eggs (nits) were found attached at the base of feathers in the breast and thigh region. The affected birds showed signs of feather loss, irritation, itching, annoyance, restlessness, scratching, and feather plucking. Morphologically, the adult lice were dark brown colored, wingless, and elongated with dorso-ventrally flattened bodies. The female lice were significantly larger than the males in body length, post-antennal head width, thorax width, abdominal width, and abdominal length. The body structure resembled Lipeurus caponis when observed under a stereo microscope. For molecular characterization, the total genomic DNA extracted from whole lice was used to amplify the mitochondrial COI (Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I) gene using universal primers. The PCR product obtained was sequenced, and the gene sequence was submitted to GenBank. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the COI gene, of the present study's sequences were clustered with L. caponis hosted by Indian peacocks of China and Jungle fowl of the UK. This is the first record of the COI sequence of L. caponis from India.