Reconsideration of the longiceps species group of the feather louse genus Columbicola (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) with descriptions of two new species.

We reconsidered the composition of the longiceps species group within Columbicola. Based primarily on head shape, the group is divided into the longiceps and the cavifrons groups, with 7 species in the former and 5 in the latter. Two new species are described: Columbicola claytoni (type host: Ducula rufigaster [Quoy and Gaimard]) and Columbicola malenkeae (type host: D. pacifica [J. E. Gmelin]). Columbicola wolffhuegeli (Eichler) is removed from synonymy with Columbicola longiceps (Rudow) and is recognized as a valid species. The true host for Columbicola paradoxus Tendeiro has been determined as Lopholaimus antarcticus (Shaw).