Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Degeeriella regalis (Giebel, 1866)

piojo, louse

ectoparasite

Louse species with 10 known host species but Galapagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) is the only known host in Galapagos.

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Arthropoda

Class
Insecta

Order
Psocodea

Suborder
Troctomorpha

Family
Philopteridae

Genus
Degeeriella

Species
regalis

Taxon category: Accepted

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Española, Fernandina, Isabela, Marchena, Pinta, Santa Fé, and Santiago

References

  • Linsley, E.G. Usinger, R.L. (1966) Insects of the Galápagos Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences Fourth Series 33(7): 113-196.
  • Palma, R.L. Peck, S.B. (2013) An annotated checklist of parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) from the Galápagos Islands Zootaxa 3627 (1): 001–087
  • Parker, P.G. Whiteman, N.K., & Miller, R.E. (2006) Conservation medicine on the Galápagos Islands: partnerships among behavioral, population, and veterinarian scientists. The Auk 123(3): 625-638.
  • Peters, M.P. Hagen, C., Whiteman, N.K., Parker, P.G. & Glenn, T.C. (2009) Characterization of 10 microsatellite loci in an avian louse, Degeeriella regalis (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae). Molecular Ecology Resources 9(3): 882-884.
  • Santiago-Alarcon, D. Whiteman, N.K., Parker, P.G., Ricklefs, R.E. & Valkiūnas, G. (2008) Patterns of parasite abundance and distribution in island populations of Galápagos endemic birds. Journal of Parasitology 94(3): 584–590.
  • Whiteman, N.K. Kimball, R.T. & Parker, P.G. (2007) Co-phylogeography and comparative population genetics of the threatened Galápagos hawk and three ectoparasite species: ecology shapes population histories within parasite communities. Molecular Ecology 22: 4759-4773.
  • Whiteman, N.K. Parker, P.G. (2004) Effects of host sociality on ectoparasite population biology. The Journal of Parasitology 90(5): 939–947.
  • Whiteman, N.K. Matson, K.D., Bollmer, J.L. & Parker, P.G. (2006) Disease ecology in the Galápagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis): host genetic diversity, parasite load and natural antibodies. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 273: 797–804.
  • Whiteman, N.K. Parker, P.G. (2004) Body condition and parasite load predict territory ownership in the Galápagos Hawk. The Condor 106: 915–921.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Degeeriella regalis", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=11853. Accessed 3 November 2026.