The fauna of quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) of the Palaearctic Region is comprehensively revised. The external morphology of adults and immature instars was studied in detail. All known 118 species grouped in 32 genera and 2 subfamilies occuring in the Palaearctic Region are examined and keyed. Critical reviews of host associations, occupying habitat, and distribution are given for all mite species. Six new genera are proposed, 4 in the subfamily Syringophilinae: Betasyringophiloidus gen. nov., Krantziaulonastus gen. nov., Paraniglarobia gen. nov., Pteroclidisyringophilus gen. nov.; and 2 in the subfamily Picobiinae: Neopicobia gen. nov., and Rafapicobia gen. nov. Twenty five new species are described in the subfamily Syringophilinae: Aulobia leucostictus sp. nov., Aulonastus lanius sp. nov., A. loxius sp. nov., A. anthus sp. nov., A. fringillus sp. nov., Betasyringophiloidus saxicolus sp. nov., B. phoenicurus sp. nov., Krantziaulonastus oryzivorus sp. nov., K. lonchurus sp. nov., Meitingsunes columbicus sp. nov., Neoaulonastus remizus sp. nov., N. caligatus sp. nov., N. aegithalos sp. nov., N. picidus sp. nov., N. riparius sp. nov., Selenonycha chradriiformicus sp. nov., Syringophiloidus philomelosus sp. nov., S. petronicus sp. nov., S. parapresentalis sp. nov., S. coccothraustes sp. nov., Syringophilopsis idunae sp. nov., S. muscicapus sp. nov., S. passericus sp. nov., S. nucifragus sp. nov., Torotrogla pycnonotus sp. nov. and five new species are described in the subfamily Picobiinae: Picobia cetti sp. nov., P. riparius sp. nov., P. eremophila sp. nov., P. galerida sp. nov., and Rafapicobia zirnitra sp. nov. The following new combinations are proposed: Aulobia stachyris (Bochkov et al., 2000) comb. nov., Betasyringophiloidus motacillae (Bochkov and Mironov, 1998) comb. nov., B. schoeniclus (Skoracki, 2002) comb. nov., Columbiphilus alectoris (Fain et al., 2000) comb. nov., Columbiphilus polonica (Skoracki et al., 2001) comb. nov., C. pteroclesi (Skoracki and OConnor, 2010) comb. nov., Cuculisyringophilus chirovi (Bochkov and Mironov, 1998) comb. nov., Krantziaulonastus buczekae (Skoracki, 2002) comb. nov., Krantziaulonastus galbulicus (Skoracki, 2008) comb. nov., Neoaulonastus bisetatus (Fritsch, 1958) comb. nov., Neopicobia anthi (Fritsch, 1958) comb. nov., Neopicobia cardinalis (Skoracki et al., 2010) comb. nov., N. carpodacus (Skoracki et al., 2010) comb. nov., N. epthianura (Skoracki et al., 2008) comb. nov., N. glossopsitta (Skoracki et al., 2008) comb. nov., N. locustella (Skoracki et al., 2004) comb. nov., N. modularis (Skoracki and Magowski, 2001) comb. nov., N. pyrrholaemus (Skoracki and Glowska, 2008) comb. nov., N. troglodytes (Skoracki et al., 2010) comb. nov., N. zumpti (Lawrence, 1959) comb. nov., Paraniglarobia calidridis (Bochkov and Mironov, 1998) comb. nov., Paraniglarobia skorackii (Bochkov and Galloway, 2004) comb. nov., Pteroclidisyringophilus re (Skoracki and OConnor, 2010) comb. nov. Three species are considered as incertae sedis: Picobia brotogeris Fain et al., 2000, P. leucophaeus Skoracki et al., 2010, P. poicephali Skoracki and Dabert, 2002. Keys to the syringophilid genera and all Palaearctic species are provided. Main aspects of host–parasite relationships are discussed.

Five new species and two new genera belonging to the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Cheyletoidea) are described from birds that died in the Antwerp Zoo during their quarantine: Charadriaulobia vanelli n. g., n. sp. from Vanellus chilensis (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) in Brazil; Fritschisyringophilus lonchurae n. g., n. sp. from Lonchura punctulata (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) in India; Mironovia coturnae n. sp. from Coturnix coturnix (Galliformes: Phasianidae) in Europe; Syringophiloidus daberti n. sp. from Passerina ciris (Passeriformes: Emberizidae) in Mexico; and S. serini n. sp. from Serinus mozambicus (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) in Central Africa. Charadriaulobia n. g. differs from the closely related Aulobia Kethley, 1970, in both sexes, by the divergent epimeres I; in females, by the absence of protuberances on the hypostomal apex and by the situation of the bases of setae l4 distinctly anterior the bases of setae d4. Fritschisyringophilus n. g. differs from the closely related Syringophiloidus Kethley, 1972, in both sexes, by the presence of setae vs ' on legs II, the absence of setae dT on legs III and IV; in females, by the presence of median hypostomal protuberances and by short setae l1, l2 and l3. The relationships between the Syringophilidae and their hosts are briefly discussed. A list of all known syringophilid genera and their distribution on bird families is provided.

No abstract

The quill mites belonging to the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) are obligate ectoparasites of birds. They inhabit different types of the quills, where they spend their whole life cycle. In this paper, we conducted a global study of syringophilid mites associated with columbiform birds. We examined 772 pigeon and dove individuals belonging to 112 species (35% world fauna) from all zoogeographical regions (except Madagascan) where Columbiformes occur. We measured the prevalence (IP) and the confidence interval (CI) for all infested host species. IP ranges between 4.2 and 66.7 (CI 0.2–100). We applied a bipartite analysis to determine host–parasite interaction, network indices, and host specificity on species and whole network levels. The Syringophilidae–Columbiformes network was composed of 25 mite species and 65 host species. The bipartite network was characterized by a high network level specialization H2′ = 0.93, high nestedness N = 0.908, connectance C = 0.90, and high modularity Q = 0.83, with 20 modules. Moreover, we reconstructed the phylogeny of the quill mites associated with columbiform birds on the generic level. Analysis shows two distinct clades: Meitingsunes + Psittaciphilus, and Peristerophila + Terratosyringophilus.

During 1998-1999, Ixodes ricinus (L.) populations were investigated in three different biotopes (deciduous, mixed, coniferous forest) situated in popular recreational areas in Poznań, Poland. In total, 1,123 questing ticks (1,002 nymphs, 69 males, 52 females) were collected by flagging vegetation. Additionally, in 1998 between May and September small rodents were trapped and inspected for feeding ticks. Altogether, 213 rodents of three species: Apodemus agrarius Pall., A. flavicollis Melchior, Clethrionomys glareolus Schreber were captured. Of 323 engorged ticks, 304 were larvae and 19 nymphs. All ticks collected from vegetation, as well as from rodents were examined for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigenwalt & Brenner s.l. spirochetes by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using PAB 1B29. The seasonal pattern of activity of questing I. ricinus was always bimodal (May/June and August/September). The most abundant tick population occurred in the deciduous forest. The total infection rate in questing ticks was 16.2%. Differences in mean infection prevalence of host-seeking ticks between three biotopes each year were not significant. On average more larvae parasitized on the genus of Apodemus than on C. glareolus. 17.8% of larvae and 31.6% of nymphs fed on rodents harbored spirochetes. The three rodent species contributed to a different degree in to transmission of the pathogen to subadult stages. Approximately 27% of larvae infested on A. agrarius, 22% on C. glareolus, and only 4.2% on A. flavicollis contained spirochetes. The results suggest that the prevalence of A. agrarius and C. glareolus in disturbed urban forests used for leisure activities seems to be crucial for the maintenance of B. burgdorferi s.l. in I. ricinus populations.

A fauna of quill mites of the subfamily Picobiinae (Acari: syringophilidae) associated with African birds is revised. two new monotypic genera are proposed, Gunabopicobia gen. n. for Picobia zumpti lawrence, 1959 and Lawrencipicobia gen. n. for Picobia poicephali skoracki et Dabert, 2002. these new genera differ from other genera of the subfamily by the following features: in females of Gunabopicobia, propodonotal setae vi are situated anterior to the level of setae ve; the narrow lateral propodonotal shields bear bases of setae vi, ve, si and se; the bases of setae 1a-1a are coalesced; the genital setae and the opisthosomal lobes are absent; the leg I with full set of solenidia and apodemes I are devoid of the thorn-like protuberances in the middle part. In females of Lawrencipicobia, the bases of setae 1a-1a are not coalesced; the propodonotal shield is entire; the genital setae are present; legs I are with full set of solenidia. Additionally, two new species belonging to Picobia Haller, 1878 are described, Picobia illadopsae sp. n. parasitising Illadopsis rufipennis (sharpe) (Passeriformes: Pellorneidae) in Kenya and Picobia phoenicuri sp. n. infecting Phoenicurus moussieri (olphe-galliard) in tunisia. the following species are redescribed, Columbiphilus alectoris (Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 2000), Lawrencipicobia poicephali (skoracki et Dabert, 2001) comb. n. and Picobia phoeniculi (Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 2000). the key to the genera of the Picobiinae is provided.

The fauna of quill mites of the subfamily Picobiinae Johnston and Kethley, 1973 (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) is comprehensively revised. All of 78 known species, which are grouped into 11 genera, are examined and diagnosed or redescribed. Data on picobiine hosts and distribution are summarized, including new host and locality records. The following new species are described: Charadriineopicobia apricaria sp. nov. ex Pluvialis apricaria (Linnaeus) (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) from France, Neopicobia pari sp. nov. ex Periparus venustulus Swinhoe (type host) (Passeriformes: Paridae) from China, Parus major Linnaeus (Paridae) from Macedonia and Finland, and Poecile varius Temminck and Schlegel (Paridae) from Japan, Picobia magellani sp. nov. ex Scytalopus magellanicus (Gmelin) (Passeriformes: Rhinocryptidae) from Colombia, Picobia lonchura sp. nov. ex Lonchura leucogastra (Blyth) (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) from Indonesia, Picobia makoli sp. nov. ex Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus (Lesson) (Passeriformes: Furnariidae) from Colombia. The species Picobia polonica Skoracki, Magowski and Dabert, 2001 syn. nov. is a junior synonym of C. khulkhaskhani Kivganov and Sharafat, 1995. The following new combinations are proposed: Neopicobia ictericus (Skoracki and Glowska, 2010) comb. nov., Rafapicobia brotogeris (Fain, Bochkov and Mironov, 2000) comb. nov., and Rafapicobia ramphastos (Fain, Bochkov and Mironov, 2000) comb. nov. Keys to the all picobiine genera and species are presented, along with a check-list of picobiine species and their hosts.

No abstract