| Iberian lynx louse | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Psocodea |
| Family: | Trichodectidae |
| Genus: | Felicola |
| Species: | †F. isidoroi
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Felicola isidoroi Perez & Palma, 2001
| |
Felicola isidoroi, the Iberian lynx louse, is an extinct species of trichodectid chewing louse.
Extinction
It is known only from a single specimen, a male. In an example of conservation-induced extinction, it likely died out when the last survivors of its host species, the Iberian lynx, were taken into captivity and de-loused. The specimen is slightly larger than males of most of the remaining species within the subgenus Lorisicola. The female has never been seen. The type specimen is in the collection of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid.
See also
References
- ^ a b Perez, Jesus M.; Palma, Ricardo L. (2001). "A new species of Felicola (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) from the endangered Iberian lynx: another reason to ensure its survival" (PDF). Biodiversity and Conservation. 10 (6): 929–937. Bibcode:2001BiCon..10..929P. doi:10.1023/A:1016688529572.
- ^ a b Palma, Ricardo (19 June 2014). "The Iberian lynx and its unique louse". Museum of New Zealand.
- ^ Giggs, Rebecca (March 2019). "A Parasitic Relationship". The Atlantic. Vol. 323, no. 2. pp. 16–17.
