Chewing lice (Mallophaga: Insecta) of birds in the Central Ciscaucasia

Abstract

Collections of 8805 individuals of chewing lice from wild and domestic fowl in the Central Ciscaucasia were processed. According to original and literary data, 102 species of Mallophaga are known from this territory; 15 of them were recorded for the first time. Most of all the chewing lice species known in the territory are parasites of passerine birds; the number of species associated with each of the 12 remaining bird orders of birds is several times smaller. An exchange of chewing lice between some species of hosts, including domestic and wild fowl, is possible.