"So, naturalists observe, a flea has smaller fleas that on him prey; and these have smaller still to bite ’em; and so proceed ad infinitum."
- Jonathan Swift

November 25, 2010

November 25 - Chelopistes meleagridis

Happy Thanksgiving to all the U.S. readers out there! Seemed appropriate to feature another turkey parasite today (we've had two others recently, i.e. Syngamus trachaea and Trichomonas gallinae ), but this one is something that anyone whose exposure to turkeys is limited to defrosting a Butterball will have no opportunity to come into contact with: the Large Turkey Louse, Chelopistes meleagridis. These lice are very common, especially on wild turkeys and have been introduced to many places via transport of their avian hosts.

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