1. Lousy Phylogenies: Phthiraptera systematics and the antiquity of lice
Vincent S. Smith
Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology
Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences
Graham Kerr Building
University of Glasgow
Scotland, UK
Intro

2. Lice (Phthiraptera): biology
Diversity
4,384 spp “chewing lice” (3,508 bird & 402 mammal spp)
543 spp sucking lice (812 spp mammal)
Physical characteristics
wingless, dorsoventrally flattened, mm, 3 nymphal instars
feed on feathers, fur & skin debris (“chewing lice”) or blood
adaptations against host grooming
Distribution
mirror host distribution worldwide in virtually everyhabitat
absent on Chiroptera, Cetacea, Microbiotheria, Monotremata, Notoryctemorphia, Pholidota & Sirenia.
Basic phthirapteran biology and statistics
Cophylogeny, cospeciation & coevolution

3. Lice (Phthiraptera): taxonomy
Parasitic Lice (Phthiraptera)
Psocoptera
Lyal, 1985 (Morphology)
Chewing Lice “Mallophaga”
Sucking Lice (Anoplura)
Amblycera
Ischnocera
Rhynchophthirina
Anoplura
Psocoptera
- 1,350 spp in 7 families
- Most “primitive” suborder
- More vagile, less host
specific
- Widespread on birds
- 2 fam. South American
mammals & marsupials
- 1 fam. on Australasian
marsupials
- 3,060 spp., # families ?
- Widespread, ~90% spp.
on birds
- Avian groups poorly
known
- Highly host specific
- Niche restricted
- Mammal infesting
species of veterinary
significance
- Just 3 species
- On unrelated hosts
- Acquired via shared use
of watering holes?
- Tiny mandibles present
at end of a long rostrum
pierce hosts thick skin
- 550 spp. in 16 families
- Absent from birds
- Well studied
- Greatest medical &
veterinary significance
- Vectors of several
important diseases
- Low prevalence on
heathy hosts
Kim & Ludwig, 1982 (Morphology)
- 1,350 spp in 7 families
- Most “primitive” suborder
- More vagile, less host
specific
- Widespread on birds
- 2 fam. South American
mammals & marsupials
- 1 fam. on Australasian
marsupials
- 3,060 spp., # families ?
- Widespread, ~90% spp.
on birds
- Avian groups poorly
known
- Highly host specific
- Niche restricted
- Mammal infesting
species of veterinary
significance
- Just 3 species
- On unrelated hosts
- Acquired via shared use
of watering holes?
- Tiny mandibles present
at end of a long rostrum
pierce hosts thick skin
- 550 spp. in 16 families
- Absent from birds
- Well studied
- Greatest medical &
veterinary significance
- Vectors of several
important diseases
- Low prevalence on
heathy hosts

4. Anoplura Rhyn… Known Louse Phylogeny, 1996 Ischnocera Amblycera Birds
Suborder
Family
Genus
Mammals
Birds
Amblycera
Ischnocera
Rhyn…
Anoplura
Known Louse Phylogeny, 1996
Anoplura
532
Rhyn… 3
Ischnocera
3,060
Principal clades and subordinal phylogeny. Mallophaga issue and
1,344
Amblycera

5. 1996 2003 Genus Family Suborder 3 532 3,060 1,344 Amblycera Ischnocera
Rhyn…
Anoplura
1996
2003