Prevalence and Distribution of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera) in Free Range Chickens from the Traditional Rearing System in the Algerian North East, Area of El-Tarf

摘要

A study was carried out on 144 local chickens ( Gallus gallus domesticus ), from rural area of El-Tarf to determine the prevalence of chewing lice (Phthiraptera). The overall prevalence rate was 100 in the El-Tarf poultry. Nine different species of chewing lice were identified during this study: Menopon gallinae , Goniocotes gallinae , Lipeurus caponis , Goniodes dissimilis , Goniodes gigas , Menacanthus stramineus , Cuclotogaster heterographus , Menacanthus cornutus and Menacanthus pallidulus . Menopon gallinae (97.2) was the most prevalent lice identified. The mean intensity of lice in the area of El-Tarf was 172.5 per chicken. Menopon gallinae was the species which has the highest mean intensity of infestation (83.2). The distribution of nine chewing lice on poultry and their most preferred sites was determined.