Introduction

The suborder Amblycera is regarded as monophyletic and as the sister group of the other three suborders of Phthiraptera (Lyal 1985). Amblyceran species are distinguished from all other lice by the pedunculate third antennal segment, antennae concealed in fossae or pits, and by the presence of maxillary palps. The taxonomy of the suborder was reviewed in detail by Clay (1970).

This suborder is divided into seven families, five of which occur in Australia. Three families—Laemobothriidae, Menoponidae, Ricinidae—contain the majority of native species that are exclusively parasitic on birds. The Boopiidae comprise native species that are restricted almost entirely to marsupials, and the Gyropidae have only two species, introduced with the Guinea Pig (Calaby & Murray 1991). The two non-Australian families of Amblycera (Abrocomophagidae, Trimenoponidae) are endemic to South America, with several species parasitic on rodents and marsupials (Emerson & Price 1976; Cicchino & Castro 1984).

General References

Calaby, J.H. & Murray, M.D. 1991. Phthiraptera. pp. 421-428 in CSIRO (ed.). The Insects of Australia. A textbook for students and research workers. Melbourne : Melbourne University Press Vol. 1 xiii 542 pp.

Cicchino, A.C. & Castro, D.C. 1984. Contribución al conocimiento de los malófagos argentinos. XV. Una nueva especie del género Philandesia Kellogg y Nakayama, 1914 (Mallophaga—Trimenoponidae). Historia Natural, Corrientes 4: 25-32

Clay, T. 1970. The Amblycera (Phthiraptera: Insecta). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 25: 73-98 5 pls

Emerson, K.C. & Price, R.D. 1976. Abrocomophagidae (Mallophaga: Amblycera), a new family from Chile. Florida Entomologist 59(4): 425-428

Lyal, C.H.C. 1985. Phylogeny and classification of the Psocodea, with particular reference to the lice (Psocodea: Phthiraptera). Systematic Entomology 10: 145-165

History of changes

Introduction

The Boopiidae Mjöberg, 1910 comprise 51 species in six genera. All but one species, Therodoxus oweni Clay, 1971, infest marsupials. Therodoxus oweni has been recorded from the cassowary in Papua New Guinea but has not yet been recorded from Australian cassowaries. Forty-seven species of Boopiidae occur in Australia; the remaining four species occur in New Guinea. Calaby & Murray's (1991) key allows Boopiidae to be distinguished from the other lice found in Australia.

Host-specificity in the family is generally high with one spectacular exception: Heterodoxus spiniger from the Agile Wallaby, Macropus agilis (Gould), has switched to dingoes and domestic dogs and then to other canids and to felines around the world. Moreover, it appears that H. spiniger has displaced the dog louse Trichodectes canis (De Geer) from some parts of its former geographic range.

The known Boopiidae infest kangaroos and their relatives (Macropodoidea) predominantly, but are also found on carnivorous marsupials (Dasyuroidea), bandicoots (Perameloidea) and wombats (Vombatoidea). Notably, Boopiidae are apparently absent from possums and gliders, and the koala (see Barker 1994).

Some species of Boopiidae infest only one host; others infest a number of different species of hosts, e.g. Heterodoxus insularis infests four different species of rock-wallaby (Petrogale spp.). Invariably, however, only one species of louse occurs on any one host individual. Indeed, there is only one record of two species of boopiid lice from a single host individual: Heterodoxus macropus Le Souëf & Bullen and Latumcephalum sp. from the Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis (Barker, unpublished data). That only one species generally infests an individual host, even when that species may be atypical for that host (see Barker & Close 1990), is consistent with (but not proof of) competitive exclusion among species of lice, at least in the Heterodoxus octoseriatus Kéler group.

As is true for most lice, the geographic ranges of species of Boopiidae are poorly known. Indeed, for most species there are only a handful of published records. One exception is the 11 species of the Heterodoxus octoseriatus group from rock-wallabies, Petrogale spp. (Barker & Close 1990). The geographic and host ranges of these species have been mapped in detail; particular attention was paid to areas where the geographic ranges of species of host that were infested with different species of lice abutted. This study revealed that given the opportunity, species of lice may switch to closely related hosts.

The Boopiidae were thought be the sister group of the Trimenoponidae that infest marsupials in South and Central America. This, however, is apparently incorrect and the idea seems to have arisen from the fact that both groups of lice infest marsupials (see Barker 1994). Clay (1970) cited apomorphies that indicate a sister-group relationship between the Boopiidae and the Menoponidae that infest birds exclusively.

General References

Barker, S.C. 1994. Phylogeny and classification, origins, and evolution of host-louse associations of lice. International Journal for Parasitology 24: 1285-1293

Barker, S.C. & Close, R.L. 1990. Zoogeography and host associations of the Heterodoxus octoseriatus group and H. ampullatus (Phthiraptera: Boopiidae) from rock-wallabies (Marsupialia: Petrogale). International Journal for Parasitology 20: 1081-1087

Calaby, J.H. & Murray, M.D. 1991. Phthiraptera. pp. 421-428 in CSIRO (ed.). The Insects of Australia. A textbook for students and research workers. Melbourne : Melbourne University Press Vol. 1 xiii 542 pp.

Clay, T. 1970. The Amblycera (Phthiraptera: Insecta). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 25: 73-98 5 pls

History of changes

• Boopia Piaget, E. 1880. Les Pédiculines. Essai Monographique. Leide : E.J. Brill xxxix 714 pp. pls 1-56. [599].

  Type species:

   Boopia tarsata Piaget, 1880 by original designation.
• Phacogalia Mjöberg, E. 1919. Preliminary description of a new family and three new genera of Mallophaga. Entomologisk Tidskrift 40: 93-96 [95].

  Type species:

   Phacogalia brevispinosa Mjöberg, 1919 by original designation.
• Keleriella Eichler, W. 1940. Notulae mallophagologicae I. Neue Gattungen und Subfamilien von Haarlingen. Zoologischer Anzeiger 129(5/6): 158-162 [161].

  Type species:

   Keleriella notafusca Le Souëf, 1902 by original designation.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hopkins, G.H.E. & Clay, T. 1952. A Checklist of the Genera & Species of Mallophaga. London : Trustees of the British Museum 362 pp. [51]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

IBRA

NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Arnhem Coast (ARC), Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Ben Lomond (BEL), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Burt Plain (BRT), Central Arnhem (CA), Carnarvon (CAR), Channel Country (CHC), Central Kimberley (CK), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Coolgardie (COO), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Central Ranges (CR), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Daly Basin (DAB), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Desert Uplands (DEU), Dampierland (DL), Davenport Murchison Ranges (DMR), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Esperance Plains (ESP), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Finke (FIN), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Flinders (FLI), Gascoyne (GAS), Gawler (GAW), Gibson Desert (GD), Gulf Fall and Uplands (GFU), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Gulf Coastal (GUC), Gulf Plains (GUP), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Kanmantoo (KAN), King (KIN), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Mallee (MAL), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), Mulga Lands (ML), Murchison (MUR), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), Northern Kimberley (NK), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Nullarbor (NUL), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pine Creek (PCK), Pilbara (PIL), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Stony Plains (STP), Sturt Plateau (STU), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tiwi Cobourg (TIW), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Warren (WAR), Wet Tropics (WT), Yalgoo (YAL)

History of changes

• Boopia aquilonia Clay, T. 1976. The spinosa species-group, genus Boopia Piaget (Phthiraptera: Boopiidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 15: 333-338 [336].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANIC 1505/8 ♂, Nourlangie Camp, South Alligator River, NT.
  Paratype(s) ANIC 1505/8 ♀; whereabouts unknown ♂ ♀.

  Type host:

   Antechinus bellus (Thomas, 1904) [DASYURIDAE]

Distribution

States

Northern Territory

Extra Distribution Information

NT.

IBRA

NT: Arnhem Coast (ARC), Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Burt Plain (BRT), Central Arnhem (CA), Channel Country (CHC), Central Ranges (CR), Daly Basin (DAB), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Davenport Murchison Ranges (DMR), Finke (FIN), Gulf Fall and Uplands (GFU), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Gulf Coastal (GUC), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pine Creek (PCK), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Stony Plains (STP), Sturt Plateau (STU), Tanami (TAN), Tiwi Cobourg (TIW), Victoria Bonaparte (VB)

Ecological Descriptors

Ectoparasitic (host(s): Antechinus bellus (Thomas, 1904) [DASYURIDAE] Fawn Antechinus), sanguinivore.

History of changes

• Boopia bettongia Le Souëf, S.A. 1902. Descriptions of some new mallophaga from marsupials. Victorian Naturalist 19: 50-51 [50].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH B.M.743,1508/4 ♂, VIC.
  Paralectotype(s) BMNH 1508/5 ♀.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Kéler, S. von 1971. A revision of the Australasian Boopiidae (Insecta: Phthiraptera) with notes on the Trimenoponidae. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 6: 3-126 [19].

  Type host:

   Aepyprymnus rufescens (Gray, 1837) [POTOROIDAE] (probably an unnatural host, see Kéler (1971))
• Boopia phanerocerata Harrison, L. & Johnston, T.H. 1916. Mallophaga from marsupials. I. Parasitology 3: 338-359 [345].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH B.M.725,1527/8 ♂, Wooloomooloo, NSW.
  Paralectotype(s) BMNH 1508/5 ♀; BMNH 1505/32 ♀; BMNH 726–729 4♀.

  Type host:

   Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804 [PERAMELIDAE]

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Kéler, S. von 1971. A revision of the Australasian Boopiidae (Insecta: Phthiraptera) with notes on the Trimenoponidae. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 6: 3-126 [19]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

IBRA

NSW, Qld, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Carnarvon (CAR), Channel Country (CHC), Central Kimberley (CK), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Coolgardie (COO), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Central Ranges (CR), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Dampierland (DL), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Esperance Plains (ESP), Flinders (FLI), Gascoyne (GAS), Gibson Desert (GD), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Gulf Plains (GUP), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), Mallee (MAL), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), Mulga Lands (ML), Murchison (MUR), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), Northern Kimberley (NK), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Nullarbor (NUL), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pilbara (PIL), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Warren (WAR), Wet Tropics (WT), Yalgoo (YAL)

Ecological Descriptors

Ectoparasitic (host(s): Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804 [PERAMELIDAE] Long-nosed Bandicoot; Isoodon macrourus (Gould, 1842) [PERAMELIDAE] Northern Brown Bandicoot; Isoodon obesulus (Shaw, 1797) [PERAMELIDAE] Southern Brown Bandicoot,), sanguinivore.

History of changes

• Boopia biseriata Kéler, S. von 1971. A revision of the Australasian Boopiidae (Insecta: Phthiraptera) with notes on the Trimenoponidae. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 6: 3-126 [22].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANIC 1505/67 ♂, Nourlangie Camp, South Alligator River, NT.
  Paratype(s) ANIC 1505/67 ♀; ANIC 1505/69 ♂ ♀; BMNH (unknown number of paratypes, the total paratype series should comprises4♂ 4♀).

  Type host:

   Macropus antilopinus (Gould, 1842) [MACROPODIDAE]

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Western Australia

IBRA

NT, WA: Arnhem Coast (ARC), Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Burt Plain (BRT), Central Arnhem (CA), Carnarvon (CAR), Channel Country (CHC), Central Kimberley (CK), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Daly Basin (DAB), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Dampierland (DL), Davenport Murchison Ranges (DMR), Esperance Plains (ESP), Finke (FIN), Gascoyne (GAS), Gibson Desert (GD), Gulf Fall and Uplands (GFU), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Gulf Coastal (GUC), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Mallee (MAL), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Murchison (MUR), Northern Kimberley (NK), Nullarbor (NUL), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pine Creek (PCK), Pilbara (PIL), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Stony Plains (STP), Sturt Plateau (STU), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Tiwi Cobourg (TIW), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

Ecological Descriptors

Ectoparasitic (host(s): Macropus antilopinus (Gould, 1842) [MACROPODIDAE] Antilopine Wallaroo; Macropus robustus Gould, 1841 [MACROPODIDAE] Common Wallaroo), sanguinivore.

History of changes

• Heterodoxus brevispinosa Harrison, L. & Johnston, T.H. 1916. Mallophaga from marsupials. I. Parasitology 3: 338-359 [355].

  Type data:

   Neotype ANIC 1505/10 ♂, Victoria Range, VIC.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Kéler, S. von 1971. A revision of the Australasian Boopiidae (Insecta: Phthiraptera) with notes on the Trimenoponidae. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 6: 3-126 [39].

  Type host:

   Antechinus stuartii Macleay, 1841 [DASYURIDAE]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria

IBRA

NSW, Qld, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Channel Country (CHC), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Flinders (FLI), Gulf Plains (GUP), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

Ectoparasitic (host(s): Antechinus stuartii Macleay, 1841 [DASYURIDAE] Brown Antechinus; Antechinus swainsonii (Waterhouse, 1840) [DASYURIDAE] Dusky Antechinus; Antechinus bellus (Thomas, 1904) [DASYURIDAE] Fawn Antechinus; Antechinus minirnus (Geoffroy, 1803) [DASYURIDAE] Swamp Antechinus; Antechinus flavipes (Waterhouse, 1838) [DASYURIDAE] Yellow-footed Antechinus), sanguinivore.

General References

Hopkins, G.H.E. & Clay, T. 1952. A Checklist of the Genera & Species of Mallophaga. London : Trustees of the British Museum 362 pp. (as Heterodoxus brevispinosa (Harrison & Johnston, 1916))

Mjöberg, E. 1919. Preliminary description of a new family and three new genera of Mallophaga. Entomologisk Tidskrift 40: 93-96 (as Phacogalia brevispinosa (Harrison & Johnston, 1916))

History of changes