Biology Under Cover

Selected Journal & Book Covers from SBS Faculty

"The Chewing Lice: World Checklist and Biological Overview"

Dale Clayton

Summary

Illustrated world checklist of chewing lice parasites of birds and mammals, with host associations and keys to the suborders, families and genera. The keys to genera are arranged by host order (within birds and mammals). The introduction to the book, which was published in 2003, considers host specificity, louse classification and morphology. The checklist is ordered alphabetically according to family, genus, species and subspecies. Hosts are listed in alphabetic order beneath each louse taxon. The book includes 4,397 species of chewing lice in 253 genera representing 9 families in 3 suborders. This checklist is followed by a list of hosts with associated lice. Hosts are arranged alphabetically by order, family, genus and species, and louse species are listed beneath each host. The final section of the book reviews the biology, ecology and evolution of chewing lice. To quote one reviewer: “This 501 page book has received wide acclaim from ectoparasite, bird, and mammal researchers throughout the world. When I have a question... this is the first source I consult, a situation that is no doubt repeated globally every day.”