Revision of genera in Goniodidae (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) parasitising gamefowl (Aves: Galliformes) with descriptions of six new genera, one new subgenus and seven new species

Hitherto, the chewing louse genus Goniodes Nitzsch, 1818 (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Goniodidae) has been the repository of many morphologically different species, which have been placed in separate groups by some authors. The morphological variation among species of Goniodes is so extensive that no characters can unequivocally separate it from closely related genera within the Goniodidae, in particular Goniocotes Burmeister, 1838.

Based on a thorough examination of many species, especially the type species of related genera, we propose to divide Goniodes into thirty-one smaller, morphologically homogeneous genera. We provide redescriptions of Goniodes sensu stricto and three previously proposed genera: Gonotyles Kéler, 1940; Oulocrepis Kéler, 1940; and Solenodes Kéler, 1940. In addition, we recognise the following genera and one subgenus as valid: Archigoniodes Conci, 1946; Clayarchigoniodes Conci, 1952 (subgenus); Astrocotes Kéler, 1940; Astrodes Kéler, 1940; Claygoniodes Conci, 1946; Dictyocotes Kéler, 1940; Euligoniodes Mey, 1997; Goniocotes; Homocerus Kéler, 1940; Kelerigoniodes Conci, 1946; Leipoiella Mey, 1986; Lobicrotaphus Mey, 1997; Maleoicus Mey, 1997; Maleophilus Mey, 1997; Margaritenes Kéler, 1940; Megatheliella Mey, 1986; Pavoniocotes Gustafsson et al., 2023; Stenocrotaphus Kéler, 1940 and Weelahia Mey, 1997.

We also propose six new genera within the Goniodes complex: Complectodes new genus, Majiodes new genus, Rhopaloncus new genus, Sikongia new genus, Sulciferodes new genus, and Tragoniodes new genus and one subgenus: Gonotyles (Syrmatichares) new subgenus. Seven new species are described and illustrated from Asian hosts: Goniodes claytonbushorum new species ex Pavo muticus imperator Delacour, 1949; Gonotyles (Syrmatichares) selenautes new species ex Syrmaticus ellioti (Swinhoe, 1872); Oulocrepis stylophorus new species ex Bambusicola thoracicus (Temminck, 1815); Rhopaloncus lepidoceros new species ex Lophophorus sclateri orientalis Davidson, 1974; Solenodes ningxiaensis new species ex Alectoris magna (Przevalski, 1876); Tragoniodes gallowayi new species ex Tragopan temminckii (Gray, 1831) and Tragoniodes yinhe new species ex Tragopan caboti (Gould, 1857).

A list of the new generic placements proposed for the species included in Goniocotes and Goniodes by Price et al. (2003) is included.