Last week’s louse was a departure from the Anoplura specimens we typically feature, as it was a chewing louse. While the Frost’s Anoplura collection is quite large in breadth and depth, the variety of specimens in the Amblycera collection is also full of surprises. Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to last week’s louse, Cuculiphilus (Falcophilus) alternatus (Osborn, 1902a) (Amblycera: Menoponidae). There was not much information on this species, so I will provide some facts on its family and the host of our specimen.
The family Menoponidae includes lice that are found on hosts such as vultures, condors, and other migratory birds. According to Ferris, 1928, they have rather short antennae that are hidden in a grooved region behind their eyes and very defined plates in the abdomen, creating their striped appearance under the microscope.
Here are a few photos of Week 20’s Friday Night Lice host to refresh your memory. Our specimen was found on Cathartes aura septentrionalis.
They have pretty impressive wingspans, don’t you think? From what I remember from a field trip to an Illinois state park about 15 years ago, their other memorable features include a very acute sense of smell and the ability to vomit upon themselves to prevent other predators from coming near, which is always a crowd-pleaser.
This week has been filled with determined lice digitization, in addition to finalizing the details of Odonata imaging, which we hope to post about soon. Stay tuned for another installment of Friday Night Lice!
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