Slender-horned gazelle (Gazella leptoceros), a new host for Tricholipeurus balanicus (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Trichodectidae)

This study was performed to provide information on Tricholipeurus balanicus (Werneck 1938) detected on slender-horned gazelles (Gazella leptoceros) (Cuvier 1842). Four slender-horned gazelles kept in the El Hamma Zoological Garden in Algeria were examined for lice in April 2015. Three of the four gazelles were infested with lice; of 37 lice collected from the infested animals, 14 were females, 16 were males, and 7 were nymphs. Lice were mainly found on the back and hind legs of the gazelles. The lice were collected by a forceps, preserved in 70% alcohol, and cleared in 10% KOH for 24 h. Thereafter, they were rinsed in distilled water, transferred to 70% and 99% alcohol, mounted on slides in Canada balsam, examined under a binocular microscope, and identified as Tricholipeurus balanicus (Werneck, 1938). To the best of our knowledge, T. balanicus on G. leptoceros has been reported for the first time.