A critically co-endangered feather louse Forficuloecus pezopori n. sp. (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) detected through conservation intervention for the western ground parrot Pezoporus flaviventris (Psittaculidae)

Abstract

Forficuloecus pezopori Martin, Keatley & Ash n. sp. from the western ground parrot Pezoporus flaviventris North, 1911 (Psittaculidae) is proposed based on combined evidence from morphology and COI mitochondrial DNA. Phylogenetically, the new species is closest to its two known congeners from Western Australia: F. josephi Price, Johnson & Palma, 2008 from Bourke's parrot Neopsephotus bourkii (Gould, 1841) and the scarlet-chested parrot Neophema splendida (Gould, 1841), and F. palmai Guimarães, 1985 from the Australian ringneck parrot Barnardius zonarius (Shaw, 1805). Morphologically it is distinguishable by abdominal chaetotaxy and characters of the male genitalia, and is most similar to F. josephi and F. greeni Guimarães, 1985; the latter has no representative sequence data. Forficuloecus pezopori is the eleventh species of its genus and the only metazoan parasite known from P. flaviventris, which is among Australia's most endangered vertebrates. The new louse is apparently restricted to P. flaviventris and is therefore co-endangered, facing at least the same likelihood of extinction as its host. We recommend ongoing translocation and field monitoring efforts for P. flaviventris include monitoring but not treatment for lice infestations in otherwise healthy individuals, and that the care management plan for captive P. flaviventris considers that F. pezopori is similarly imperilled.