Ectoparasites of Columbina passerina insularis (Columbiformes) in the National Zoological Park, Havana, Cuba

Ectoparasites of 18 free-living Cuban Ground Doves, Columbina passerina insularis (Columbiformes: Columbidae), captured in the National Zoological Park, Havana, Cuba, were identified. The collected ectoparasites included two species of lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera): Columbicola passerinae (77.1%), and Physconelloides eurysema (50%), as well as four species of feather mites (Astigmata: Falculiferidae): Pterophagus lomatus (83.3%), Byersalges talpacoti (50%), Byersalges phyllophorus (72.2%), and Hyperaspidacarus tridentatus (27.7%). Pterophagus lomatus, B. phyllophorus, and H. tridentatus represent new records for Cuba.

Genetic variation is predominantly structured by geography rather than host in feather mites (Acariformes: Sarcoptiformes) associated with tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae) in Brazil

Feather mites are the most common ectosymbionts on birds. These obligatory symbionts are mainly transmitted during their host’s parental care, which creates high host specificity. Due to this intimate relationship, it is thought that their geographic distribution is restricted by their host distribution, or that a host species harbors the same mite composition across its whole range. However, our knowledge regarding the geographic distribution of feather mites remains scarce, with only a few studies indicating disconnections between mite and host distributions, especially in widespread hosts. Here, we investigate the feather mites distribution on four tanager species, three widespread – Thraupis sayaca (L.), T. palmarum (Wied), and Stilpnia cayana (L.) from Northern and Southern Brazil; and the Amazonian T. episcopus (L.). Feather mites were identified using the molecular barcode marker COX-1 using K2P genetic distances. We found a strong genetic structure between Northern and Southern populations of tanagers of more than 10%, even among conspecific hosts. Therefore, the mite distribution on Brazilian tanagers is predominantly shaped by geography rather than by host species. These features in turn reflect historical horizontal transmissions among the hosts, suggesting a high potential for frequent host switches in these symbionts.

New records of feather mites (Sarcoptiformes: Proctophyllodidae) on tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) from Brazil

Herein, three feather mite species (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae) are reported from tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) in Brazil: Proctophyllodes thraupis Atyeo & Braasch, 1966 on Thraupis ornata (Sparrman, 1789), Thraupis palmarum (Wied, 1821), and Stilpnia peruviana (Desmarest, 1806); Amerodectes thraupicola (Černý, 1974) and Amerodectes bilineatus (Berla, 1958) on T. ornata. Proctophyllodes thraupis is herein reported for the first time on the hosts mentioned above. Amerodectes thraupicola is reported in synoxenism with A. bilineatus on the same bird specimen of T. ornata, a new host for both mites. Despite being described from a Cardinalidae (Passeriformes) host, this latter mite species was subsequently recovered only from tanagers, which reinforces the suggestion that non-thraupid hosts might be accidental records.

Feather mites (Acariformes, Astigmata) from marine birds of the Barton Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica), with descriptions of two new species

We report on the first investigation of feather mites associated with birds living on the Barton Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica). We found seven feather mite species of the superfamily Analgoidea from four host species. Two new species are described from two charadriiform hosts: Alloptes (Sternalloptes) antarcticussp. nov. (Alloptidae) from Stercorarius maccormicki Saunders (Stercorariidae), and Ingrassia chionissp. nov. (Xolalgidae) from Chionis albus (Gmelin) (Chionidae). Additionally, we provide partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), which was utilized as a DNA barcode, for all seven feather mite species.

Two new feather mites of the genus Trouessartia Canestrini, 1899 (Acariformes: Trouessartiidae) from tyrant flycatchers (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) in Argentina

Two new species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia (Analgoidea: Trouessartiidae) are described from tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae) in Argentina: Trouessartia salvadori sp. nov. from the White-crested Tyrannulet Serpophaga subcristata (Vieillot) and T. gonzalezacunai sp. nov. from the Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus (Boddaert). Trouessartia salvadori sp. nov. is close to T. longiducta Hernandes et Valim, 2015 and most clearly differs from the latter in having, in males, the genital apparatus with wedge-shaped hyaline extensions and the anterior genital papillae situated more distant from the midline than posterior ones, and in females, setae h1 not extending beyond the margin of the interlobar membrane, and the posterior part of the hysteronotal shield bearing well outlined ovate lacunae except in the narrow median area. Trouessartia gonzalezacunai sp. nov. is similar to T. savanae Hernandes, 2014, but is distinguished from that species in having, in males, the terminal lamellae shaped as a fishtail, the epiandrum shaped as a goblet, the apophyses of adanal apodemes represented by thick spine-like tubercles, and in females, setae h1 minute spiculiform about 10 long, and the external copulatory tube shaped as a small rounded tubercle near the margin of interlobar membrane.

Two new feather mites of the genus Proctophyllodes (Acari: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines of China (Aves: Passeriformes)

Two new species of the feather mite genus Proctophyllodes (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae) are described from two passerine birds (Passeriformes) in China: Proctophyllodes scleroticus sp. nov. from the Brandt's Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti pallidior (Fringillidae) and P. micrurus sp. nov. from the White-rumped Snow Finch Onychostruthus taczanowskii (Passeridae). Proctophyllodes scleroticus sp. nov. belongs to the tricetratus species-group, and differs from the most similar species P. petroniae Atyeo & Braasch, 1966 by the following characters: in male, the genital sheath is heavily sclerotized, peach shaped, and extending to the level of setae g, anal suckers are surrounded with a pair of membranes, and terminal lamella is relatively greater, and in female, lobar shield is divided into two independent shields by the anal opening and anal opening extends beyond the level of setae ps1, terminal appendage is long. Proctophyllodes micrurus sp. nov. belongs to the musicus species-group, and differs from the most similar species P. saltatoris Atyeo & Braasch, 1966 by the following characters: in male, genital arch and the anterior part of opisthogastric shield are about the same width, anal suckers are surrounded with a pair of membranes, genital organ extends to the anterior 1/3 of the level of setae g and setae ps3, terminal lamella are located closely to each other and slightly greater, and in female, lobar shields are medially divided into two halves, terminal appendages are small, about 1/10 of setae h3, edge of the cleft is almost horizontal.

Two new feather mites of the genus Trochilodectes Park & Atyeo (Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) from hummingbirds in Colombia (Apodiformes: Trochilidae)

Two new species of the feather mite genus Trochilodectes Park & Atyeo (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) are described from hummingbirds (Apodiformes: Trochilidae) in Colombia: T. capitocaudatus sp. nov. from Ocreatus underwoodii (Lesson, 1832) and T. andinus sp. nov. from Phaethornis guy (Lesson, 1833). A key to all presently known species of the genus Trochilodectes is presented.

Feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines and kingfishers in Canada

Investigation of the diversity and taxonomy of feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) on passerines (Passeriformes) and kingfishers (Coraciiformes: Alcedinidae) in Manitoba revealed 19 species in 5 genera. Of them, eight new species are described, seven of these from passerines and one from a kingfisher: Alaudicola eremophila sp. n. from Eremophila alpestris (Alaudidae), Amerodectes icteri sp. n. from Icterus galbula (Icteridae), A. pheucticus sp. n. from Pheucticus ludovicianus (Cardinalidae), A. tiffanyluiae sp. n. from Oporornis agilis (Parulidae), A. tretiakae sp. n. from Molothrus ater (Icteridae), Tyrannidectes sealyi sp. n. from Tyrannus tyrannus (Linnaeus, 1758) (type host) and Tyrannus verticalis Say, and T. empidonicus sp. n. from Empidonax minimus (Tyrannidae), and Proterothrix megaceryle sp. n. from Megaceryle alcyon (Alcedinidae). Additionally, nine pterodectine species are reported for the first time in the fauna of Canada. Based on re-evaluation of diagnostic charcters, new diagnoses are proposed for the genera Amerodectes, Tyrannidectes, and Metapterodectes, and species contents of these genera are revised. Four species are transferred from the genus Amerodectes to Tyrannidectes with the new combinations proposed: T. caribaeus (Mironov and González-Acuña, 2011) comb. n., T. charitomenos (Hernandes, 2018) comb. n., T. pitangi (Mironov, 2008) comb. n., T. vireonis (Hernandes and Pedroso, 2016) comb. n. Six species are transferred from the genus Tyrannidectes to Metapterodectes with the new combinations: M. amaurochalinus (Hernandes and Valim, 2006) comb. n., M. cinclodes (Mironov and González-Acuña, 2011) comb. n., M. crassus (Trouessart, 1885) comb. n., M. falcklandicus (Mironov and González-Acuña, 2011) comb. n., M. fissuratus (Hernandes and Valim, 2005) comb. n., and M. pteroptochi (Mironov and González-Acuña, 2015) comb. n.

Two new feather mites of the genus Proctophyllodes Robin (Acari formes: Proctophyllodinae) from passerines in Brazil

Proctophyllodes Robin (Proctophyllodidae: Proctophyllodinae) is a widely distributed feather mite genus, which most species show high level of specificity to their bird hosts. We describe two new species of this genus from passerines commonly found in urban environments in Brazil: Proctophyllodes molothrus sp. nov. from the Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis (Gmelin) (Icteridae), and P. carmenmirandae sp. nov. from the Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis (Statius Müller) (Passerellidae). The former is similar to P. egglestoni Spory and differs from it in having a unique shape of opisthosomal lobes in females; P. carmenmirandae is closer to P. tiaris Atyeo & Braasch and differs in having a relatively longer adeagus in males and setae h1 situated on soft tegument between hysteronotal and lobar shields in females.