Sturnidoecus sturni (Schrank, 1776)

(Figs 377–383)

Pediculus sturni Schrank, 1776: 118 .

Philopterus leontodon Nitzsch, 1818: 290 .

Docophorus ostralegi Denny, 1842: 42 .

Philopterus leontodon Nitzsch in Burmeister, 1838; Harrison, 1916: 97. Philopterus ostralegi Denny, 1842; Harrison, 1916: 101.

Philopterus sturni Schrank, 1776; Harrison, 1918: 104.

Sturnidoecus leontodon (Nitzsch sensu Piaget 1880); Eichler, 1944: 81. Sturnidoecus ostralegi (Denny), 1842; Hopkins & Clay, 1952; 345 (as junior synonym of S. sturni). Sturnidoecus sturni (Schrank), 1776; Hopkins & Clay, 1952: 345.

Type host. Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 — European starling.

Type locality. None given in original publication, but neotype has type locality Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Other hosts. Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi Finsch, 1878 — European starling. Sturnus vulgaris zetlandicus Hartert, 1918 — European starling. Sturnus vulgaris humii Brooks, 1876 [Ref.: Ansari 1968]— European starling. Sturnus vulgaris nobilior Hume, 1879 — European starling new host record

Description. Both sexes. Head shape, structure, and chaetotaxy as in genus description and Fig. 379; as1 present. Preantennal nodi moderate, blunt. Coni long, pointed, reaching well beyond distal margin of scapes. Preocular nodi large, triangular. Postocular nodi very prominent, rounded: pos located far posterior to nodi. Gular plate small, starshaped. Thoracic and abdominal segments as in genus description and Figs 377–378. Posterior margin of pterothorax convergent to median point. Tergopleurites with large, translucent areas around spiracle openings. Tergopleurites pale brown. Sternal plates absent. Both sexes very setose.

Male. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 11 and Fig. 377. Subgenital plate may reach posterior margin of abdomen. Male genitalia as in genus and species group descriptions and Figs 380–382. Measurements ex Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi (n = 2): TL = 1.41–1.43; HL = 0.47–0.48; HW = 0.48–0.49; PRW = 0.28–0.29; PTW = 0.43– 0.45; AW = 0.66–0.67. Ex S. v. vulgaris (n = 14): TL = 1.32–1.57 (1.44); HL = 0.46–0.54 (0.49); HW = 0.46–0.55 (0.50); PRW = 0.27–0.31 (0.29); PTW = 0.42–0.49 (0.45); AW = 0.58–0.78 (0.70). Ex. S. v. zetlandicus (n = 15): TL = 1.36–1.60 (1.45); HL = 0.47–0.54 (0.50); HW = 0.48–0.56 (0.51); PRW = 0.26–0.31 (0.29); PTW = 0.41– 0.50 (0.45); AW = 0.61–0.73 (0.68).

Female. Abdominal chaetotaxy as in Table 11 and Fig. 378. Subgenital plate funnel-shaped, very narrow distally (Fig. 383). Vulval margin (Fig. 383) gently rounded, with 7–10 long, slender vms on each side, and 12–15 (rarely 16–17) thorn-like vss on each side; 5–9 short, slender vos on each side; distal vos median or distal to vss. Measurements ex Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi (n = 3): TL = 1.73–1.93; HL = 0.52–0.56; HW = 0.54–0.56; PRW = 0.31–0.34; PTW = 0.49–0.54; AW = 0.84–0.94. Ex S. v. vulgaris (n = 14): TL = 1.65–1.83 (1.75); HL = 0.50–0.56 (0.53); HW = 0.51–0.60 (0.54); PRW = 0.29–0.33 (0.31); PTW = 0.48–0.54 (0.50); AW = 0.74–0.89 (0.83). Ex S. v. zetlandicus (n = 15): TL = 1.59–1.86 (1.72); HL = 0.51–0.58 (0.55); HW = 0.51–0.61 (0.57); PRW = 0.29–0.34 (0.32); PTW = 0.45–0.54 (0.50); AW = 0.72–0.88 (0.77).

Type material. Ex Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris: Neotype ♂, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Mar. 1946, R. Meinertzhagen, 15663 (NHML). Neoallotype ♀, same data as neotype (NHML). Neoparatypes: 5♂, 5♀, same data as neotype (NHML); 7♂, 9♀, Kent, England, United Kingdom, Mar. 1937, R. Meinertzhagen, 8337 (NHML); 5♂, 5♀, South Uist, Scotland, United Kingdom, Jan. 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 100–2, 127 (NHML); 2♂, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom, Dec. 1936, R. Meinertzhagen, 8149 (NHML); 6♂, 10♀, Shetlands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1939, R. Meinertzhagen, 13573–6 (NHML); 16♂, 24♀, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Apr. 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 297, 764, 14088–9, 14104–5 (NHML); 1♀, Layer Marney, Essex, England, United Kingdom, 1 Jun. 1934, J.W. Campbell, Brit. Mus. 1936-624 (NHML); 6♂, 15♀, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Jan. 1937, R. Meinertzhagen, 8233–5 (NHML); 8♂, 4♀, Ireland, Aug. 1937. R. Meinertzhagen, 10463–4, 10466 (NHML).

Ex Sturnus vulgaris zetlandicus Neoparatypes: 10♂, 10♀, Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 5 Aug. 1938, G.H.E. Hopkins (NHML); 2♂, 3♀, Shetlands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1939, R. Meinertzhagen, 13567–9 (NHML); 3♂, 5♀, North Uist, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1941, R. Meinertzhagen, 14539–41 (NHML); 3♂, 2♀, South Uist, Scotland, United Kingdom, Jan. 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 93, 98, 120 (NHML); 10♂, 9♀, Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1936, R. Meinertzhagen, 11514 (NHML); 44♂, 51♀, same locality and collector as previous, Aug. 1938, 11425, 11479–80, 11525 (NHML).

Ex Haematopus ostralegus (stragglers): Holotype ♀ of Docophorus ostralegi: United Kingdom, Denny Collection, [BM] 1952-98 (NHML). Syntypes of Docophorus ostralegi: 2♂, same data as holotype (NHML).

Additional material examined (non-types)

Ex Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris: 1♂, 3♀, Llanbrynmair, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom, 20 Jul. 1960 (NHML); 1♀, Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, Wales, United Kingdom, 1 Jun. 1935, J.G. Williams (NHML); 1♂, Longton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, 8 Feb. 1923, W.H. Heathcote (NHML); 1♀, Radcliffe, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, 1 Mar. 1931, T. Warwick (NHML); 1♂, 3♀, Layer Marney, Essex, England, United Kingdom, 1 Apr. 1934, J.W. Campbell (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, 23 Feb. 1965, Lasswade Veterirany Lab (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Bass Strait, Australia, Dec. 1952, BM1953-735 (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Blue Lake, Raoul Island, New Zealand, 6 Jan. 1967, “D.S.I.R., N.Z.”, Brit. Mus. 1968-401 (NHML); 1♀, Herzogenbach [?], Germany, 20 Apr. 1936, 437 (NHML) [one slide contains unidentified menoponid]. 1♂, 1♀, Uukeroda [?], Eisenach, Germany, 26 Jul. 1875 [?], 46 (MFNB); 1♂, 1♀, Halle, Germany, 18 May 1949, 4012 (MFNB); 1♂, 1♀, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Feb. 1934, R. Meinertzhagen, 297 [Meinertzhagen No.], 931 [Eichler No.]. 4♂, 7♀, Berlin, Germany, 27 Apr. 1953, [Stefan] von Kéler, IN1383/1-1– 2/8 (MFNB); 1♀, Auggen, Baden, Germany, 1 Aug. 1959, [Stefan] von. Kéler (MFNB); 2♂, 1♀, Józefów, Warszaw, Poland, 29 Mar. 1954, Klopicka, 48/1954 (MFNB); 1♂, 1♀, Bácsalmás, Bácska, Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary, 18 Apr. 1969, J. Rékási, 12068–9 (PMSL); 7♂, 7♀, Radovlija, Podbrezje, Naklo, Gorenjska, Slovenia, 20 Nov. 1959, S. Brelih, 2923–36 (PMSL); 3♂, 2♀, Stozice, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 15 Mar. 1960, S. Brelih, 1 0863– 7 (PMSL); 3♂, 2♀, Ljubljansko Barje, Vrhnika, Slovenia, 15 Mar. 1956, S. Brelih, 122-3, 1133–5 (PMSL).

Ex Sturnus vulgaris nobilior: 6♂, 8♀, Afghanistan, May 1937, R. Meinertzhagen, 10235, 10258 (MNHML) ; 7♂, 12♀, Sind, India, Jan. 1937, R. Meinertzhagen, 10409 (NHML) .

Ex Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi [some as Sturnus vulgaris menzbieri]: Bharatpur, Rajasthan State, India, 4 Jan. 1952, R. Meinertzhagen, 19679, 19578, BM1952-143 (NHML); 3♀, Punjab, India, Dec. 1940, R. Meinertzhagen, 14418 (NHML).

Ex Sturnus vulgaris zetlandicus: 4♂, 7♀, North Uist, Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1941, R. Meinertzhagen, 14471–7 (NHML) [slide contains one Philopterus and one Quadraceps]. 3♂, 13♀, Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom, Aug. 1938, R. Meinertzhagen, 11308, 11361, 11479 (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Fair Isle, Scotland, United Kingdom, 8159 on reverse (OSUS).

Ex Sturnus vulgaris ssp.: 1♂, 1♀, unknown locality (NHML); 1♂, 1♀, Bahrain, 2 Jan. 1971, M.D. Gallagher, 564–5, Brit. Mus. 1971-349 (NHML); 1♀, unknown locality, 11. Apr. 1876 (MFNB); 22♂, 32♀, unknown locality, Eichler Collection, 120, 353, 379, 437, 868, 956, 1800, 1853, 1863, 2671, 2922, 3117, 3546, 3630–1, 3748, 3974, 50405, 50447, 50556, 50558 (MFNB) [slides also contain Brueelia nebulosa and unidentified menoponids; one specimen infested by Trenomyces helveticus]. 1♂, 4♀, unknown locality, 27 May 1947, Eichler Collection, 4013 (MFNB); 1♂, 2♀, unknown locality, [IN]1824/47–8 (MFNB); 4♂, 3♀, “Kowno”, 5 Mar. 1920, S.G. Iwanowsky, IN 1401/6/2-1 –3 (MFNB); 1♂, 5♀, unknown locality, 7 Jul. 1992, D.H. Clayton, 218 (UMSP).

Ex Turdus philomelos [as Turdus musicus] (stragglers): 1♂, 1♀, Raoul Island, New Zealand, 26 Nov. 1962, C.M. Clark, Brit. Mus. 1966-330 (NHML).

Remarks. Females from Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi have fewer submarginal setae (9–10) than lice collected from western Eurasia. As only a few specimens from S. vulgaris from continental Europe, Russia, and the Middle East have been examined, we are unable to establish whether these differences are due to clinal variation or indicative of these forms being distinct populations. Based on available material, we consider all of these lice to be St. sturni .