Redescription of Antarctophthirus lobodontis (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) from the crabeater seal and identification key for Antarctic lice.

M.S. LEONARDI; M. BOBINAC; J. NEGRETE

POLAR BIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016 vol. 39 p. 671 - 676

0722-4060

The Anoplura (Phthiraptera) is composed of lice parasitizing mainly terrestrial mammals, but a few members have been able to adapt to the marine environment. The latter are included in the family Echinophthiriidae, a particular group infecting pinnipeds worldwide that and of the few insects that managed to survive in the ocean. The study of Antarctic echinophthiriids flourished in the 60?s, but in the last 50 years no advance has been done. Revision of Antarctic echinophthiriids is part of ongoing research on the systematics, phylogeny and ecology of these lice. During the summer season of 2014, we had the opportunity to collect lice from crabeater seals capture at Cierva cove in the northern sector of the Danco Coast. Those lice specimens were analyzed in order to redescribe Antarctophthirus lobodontis adults since we understand that the description of this louse species is incomplete. Also in the present work we provide a key to identification of Antarctic species of Echinophthiriidae based on morphological characteristics.