New records of lice in chilean anatids

Lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) are common highly specific ectoparasites of birds that feed upon feathers, skin flakes, sebaceous secretions and/or blood of their hosts. In Chile, the anatids (Aves: Anseriformes) are represented by 28 species, however their associated phthirapterofauna is known only in four species. The present work aimed to contribute with the knowledge of Phthiraptera in other birds of the anatidae family. For this purpose, 77 birds from four different sources were analyzed: Collection of the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Chile (n= 26), Wildlife Rescue Center of the Universidad de Concepción (n= 14), haunted birds (n= 19) and also birds found dead in their habitat (n= 18). Observed lice were extracted with anatomical tweezers from the the birds, preserved in 70% ethanol, and subsequently slide-mounted for morphological identification following keys for generic and specific diagnoses. The following lice species were recorded in their respective hosts: Anaticola crassicornis in Anas sibilatrix, Anas platalea, Anas flavirostris and Anas cyanoptera; Anatoecus icterodes in A. platalea and A. flavirostris; Trinoton querquedulae in A. flavirostris, Anas discor and A. cyanoptera; Menacanthus cornutus in Chloephaga picta; Anaticola mergiserrati in Merganetta armata; Acidoproctus rostratus in Anas georgica and Dendrocygna viduata; Anaticola marginellus in Chloephaga poliocephala, and Holomenopon sp. in A. georgica. With these results, fifteen new phthiraptera associations were registered for 10 Chilean anatids, and eight of these are new for the country. A. rostratus, M. cornutus and A. mergiserrati represent new species for parasitic fauna in Chilean birds.