The variability of metric characters in the biting lice (Mallophaga) from the pheasants (Phasianus colchicus L.)

Abstract

The variability of metric characters of 7 examined species to the biting lice, typical for the pheasants, totalled 2-6% for imagines. In some species the coefficients of variability for the measurements of thorax and abdomen reached value of 10%. As a rule, the head dimensions as well as the total lenght of three species had the lowest (to 3%) variability. The nymphs were characterized by the higher coefficients of variability of all examined characters, though also the lowest (3-8%) values were noted for the head dimensions whereas the highest (to 19%) ones for abdomen width. Such high values are probably associated with extending of the abdomen which is slightly sclerotized in the nymphs