Strigiphilus garylarsoni
Strigiphilus garylarsoni is a species of chewing louse found only on owls. The species has no common name.
| Strigiphilus garylarsoni | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Holotype ♂; paratype ♀. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Phthiraptera |
| Family: | Philopteridae |
| Genus: | Strigiphilus |
| Species: | S. garylarsoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Strigiphilus garylarsoni | |
The species was first described by biologist Dale H. Clayton in 1990.
Host
Its type host is the Northern white-faced owl (Ptilopsis leucotis).[1]
Etymology
It was named after Gary Larson, creator of the syndicated cartoon The Far Side. In a letter to Larson, Clayton praised the cartoonist for "the enormous contribution that my colleagues and I feel you have made to biology through your cartoons." In his book The Prehistory of the Far Side, Larson stated, "I considered this an extreme honor. Besides, I knew no one was going to write and ask to name a new species of swan after me. You have to grab these opportunities when they come along."[3] Clayton wrote he honored Larson "in appreciation of the unique light he has shed on the workings of nature."[1]
References
- Clayton, Dale H. (1990). "Host Specificity of Strigiphilus Owl Lice (Ischnocera: Philopteridae), with the Description of New Species and Host Associations" (PDF). Journal of Medical Entomology. 27 (3): 258–260. doi:10.1093/jmedent/27.3.257.
- "Strigiphilus garylarsoni Clayton, D.H.". Phthiraptera.info. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- Larson, Gary (1989). The Prehistory of the Far Side. Andrews and McMeel. ISBN 978-0-8362-1851-0.
