Search

A new quill mite species, Neoaulonastus sidorchukae sp. nov. (Acariformes: Syringophilidae), is described from under-tail covert feathers of Leptocoma zeylonica (Linnaeus) (Passeriformes: Nectariniidae) from Sri Lanka. It is the second record of syringophilid mites of the genus Neoaulonastus parasitizing sunbirds.

A new species of quill mite of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata), Niglarobia vanelli sp. nov. collected from eight species of the lapwing genus Vanellus (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae), is described: V. vanellus (Linnaeus, 1758) (type host) from Germany, V. gregarius (Pallas, 1771) from Russia, V. senegallus (Linnaeus, 1766), V. albiceps Gould, 1834, V. spinosus (Linnaeus, 1758), V. crassirostris (Hartlaub, 1855), V. lugubris (Lesson, 1826), and V. coronatus (Boddaert, 1783) all from Tanzania. This new species resembles N. cursoriae Skoracki et al., 2006 and differs by having the following features: in females of N. vanelli sp. nov., each medial branch of the peritremes has 3-4 chambers (vs 2 chambers in N. cursoriae); the hysteronotal shield is not fused to the pygidial shield (vs fused); lengths of setae d2 and e2 are 55-65 and 95-120, respectively (vs 115- 140 and 130-160); and setae p' and p" of legs III and IV have 4-6 tines (vs 7 tines).

We investigated the quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) associated with Sunbirds (Passeriformes: Nectariniidae) in the Sub-Saharan region. Six hundred eleven host individuals belonging to 52 species were examined. Syringophilid parasitization prevalence (44 hosts of 15 species) ranged from 1.4 to 75% in particular host species. In the collected material, we have found seven quill mite species and among them four are new for science: 1) Aulobia afroanthreptes Skoracki & Zmudzinski sp. nov. from Anthreptes neglectus Neumann, 1922 and Anthreptes longuemarei (Lesson, 1831), both from Tanzania; 2) Syringophiloidus nectariniae Skoracki & Zmudzinski sp. nov. from Hedydipna collaris (Vieillot, 1819) from Tanzania; 3) Aulonastus nectariniphilus Skoracki & Zmudzinski sp. nov. from Anthreptes reichenowi Gunning, 1909 from Tanzania and Nectarinia tacazze (Stanley, 1814) from Ethiopia; and 4) Picobia hedydipna Skoracki & Zmudzinski sp. nov. from Hedydipna collaris from Kenya. Representatives of the genera Aulonastus Kethley, 1970 and Syringophiloidus Kethley, 1970 are recorded on Sunbirds for the first time. The following new host species are given: Cinnyris mariquensis Smith, 1836, C. shelleyi Alexander, 1899 and C. regius Reichenov, 1893, all from Tanzania for Aulobia nectariniae Skoracki & Glowska, 2008; A. neglectus and A. longuemarei, both from Tanzania for Neoaulonastus cinnyris Klimovicova et al., 2014; Cyanomitra verreauxii (Smith, 1832) from Tanzania and Cinnyris chalybeus (Linnaeus, 1766) from South Africa for Picobia oritis Skoracki et al., 2009. Additionally, host-parasite relationships are discussed.

A new quill mite species of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) is described from Phimosus infuscatus (Lichtenstein) (Pelecaniformes: Threskiornithidae) in Argentina. Selenonycha insperata n. sp. differs from other species of the genus Selenonycha Kethley, 1970 by the presence of wing-like cuticular projections of coxal fields III-IV situated in front of trochanters (vs absence). An unexpected finding of this species on a bird of the family Threskiornithidae (Pelecaniformes) is discussed as an example of host shift. Additionally, a key to the species of the genus is provided.

A new species of parasitic mite of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea), Chenophila marmaronetta sp. nov. is described from the secondary quill feathers of Marmaronetta angustirostris (Menetries) (Anseriformes: Anatidae) from Turkey. This species differs from closely related Ch. platyrhynchos Tymcio et al., 2013 by the presence of 9 chambers in each medial branch of the peritremes (vs 5 chambers in Ch. platyrhynchos), length of the stylophore 220-235 (vs 255-275), and lengths of setae vi, ve, d1 and d2 40-55, 65-70, 90-105 and 170, respectively (vs 65-85, 80-100, 130-170 and 85-150).

The parasitic quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) are recorded on ibises and spoonbills (Pelecaniformes: Threskiornithidae) for the first time. Four new species of the genus Stibarokris Kethley, 1970 are described: 1) S. theristicus Skoracki, Zmudzinski & Unsoeld sp. nov. ex Theristicus caudatus (Boddaert, 1783) from Brazil, 2) S. geronticus Skoracki, Zmudzinski & Unsoeld sp. nov. ex Geronticus calvus (Boddaert, 1783) from South Africa, 3) S. brevisetosus Skoracki & Zmudzinski sp. nov. ex Plegadis falcinellus (L., 1766) from Turkey, and 4) S. plataleus Skoracki & Zmudzinski sp. nov. ex Platalea leucorodia L., 1758 from Austria. Additionally, a key to all described species in the genus is presented, and hypothesis of the Gondwanan origin of syringophilids associated with ibises and spoonbills is briefly discussed., (© The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com Version of Record, first published online September 19, 2016 with fixed content and layout in compliance with Art. 8.1.3.2 ICZN.)

Quill mite species Picobia caudati Skoracki and Hebda, 2004 collected from its type host Aegithalos caudatus (L.) is recorded from seven new localities in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Macedonia) and Asia (China, Russia, Japan).

Four accipitriform bird species of the family Accipitridae are reported as new hosts for quill mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae): Megasyringophilus aquilus Skoracki, Lontkowski and Stawarczyk, 2010 was collected from Hieraaetus pennatus Gmelin, 1788 in France and Spain, and Buteo jamaicensis Gmelin, 1788 in Canada; Peristerophila accipitridicus Skoracki, Lontkowski and Stawarczyk, 2010 was collected from Circaetus gallicus Gmelin, 1788 in France, and Buteo lagopus Pontoppidan, 1763 in Germany.