Prevalence and diversity of parasitic bird lice (Insecta: Psocodea) in northeast Arkansas.

ABSTRACT: Many groups of parasites lack basic information on biodiversity and host associations, which poses challenges for conservation and understanding the ecological relationships between hosts and their parasites. This gap in knowledge is particularly relevant for parasitic species with obscure lifestyles. Ectoparasitc bird lice (Insecta: Psocodea: Phthiraptera) are a group of parasites that has received a relatively substantial research focus, yet patterns of bird-louse relationships and louse diversity remain understudied in many geographic regions, including in parts of the southeastern United States. In this study, we assessed the diversity, prevalence, abundance, and intensity of lice from live and salvaged birds in northeastern Arkansas. We also focused on the frequency of co-occurrence o

SUBMITTER: Brewer PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10628595 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature