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Investigated individuals of huia Heteralocha acutorostris (Gould, 1837) from the collection of the Zoological Institute and Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany. Left – female, right – male.
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We describe one new feather mite species Coraciacarus muellermotzfeldi sp. nov. (Acari, Astigmata) found as dried corpses on the feathers of the museum skin of the huia Heteralocha acutirostris (Gould, 183718.
Gould , J. 1837. A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent islands, Vol. I, London: Gould. 11 p1. View all references) (Passer...
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... ornithologists to exist despite the last reliable sightings of this species being in the 1950s in North America and probably in the early 1990s in Cuba (Mironov et al. 2005b). The well-known example of the extinct Diplaegidia gladiator (Analgoidea, Analgidae) from the passenger pigeon Ectopistes migratorius should not be included in this list of discovered ‘‘museum fossils’’ because it was described when the passenger pigeon was still alive (Haller 1882). In the present paper we describe a new species of the feather mite genus Coraciacarus Dubinin, 1956 (Pterolichoidea, Gabuciniidae) from preserved skins of huia Heteralocha acutirostris . This extinct bird together with two other still living species (kokako Callaeas cinerea and saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus ) belongs to the family Callaeatidae (wattlebirds), endemic to New Zealand. The huia became extinct early in the twentieth century, mainly as the result of forest destruction and intensive hunting for its decorative feathers (BirdLife International 2004). It was unique as the only known bird species with a completely different beak form and function in the male and female birds (Figure ...
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Two new species of the feather mite genus Neocalcealges Orwig 1968 (Analgoidea: Trouessartiidae) are described from passerine birds (Passeriformes) from the Sichuan province of China: Neocalcealges davidi sp. nov. from Alcippe davidi Styan (Leiothrichidae) and N. chrysotis sp. nov. from Lioparus chrysotis (Blyth) (Paradoxornithidae). We provide a k...
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... Triangular opisthosomal lobes well developed with slightly rounded lateral margins and straight median margins, length 55 (52-56), width at the base 46 (41)(42)(43). Interlobar cleft triangular, 55 (52-56) long, 48 (45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)(55)(56)(57)(58) wide at the level of setae ps1. Narrow interlobar membranes present along the whole cleft, rounded terminally. ...
... Due to this behavior, a large proportion of the described feather mite species, including one presented here, derive from museum ornithological collections [47]. Ornithological collections are also the only source for obtaining and describing extinct feather mites from extinct hosts, the specimens of which are preserved in some exhibitions [48][49][50][51]. Old ornithological collections, sometimes in poor condition, are increasingly seen as a depleted source of ornithological research and hastily earmarked upon for decommissioning. ...
... MALE (holotype, ranges for three paratypes in parentheses,Figures 1 and 3A-C). Gnathosoma trapezoid, length including palps 49(47)(48)(49), width at the base 42(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45). Body moderately elongated with well-developed opisthosomal lobes. ...
Feather mites of finfoots (Heliornithidae), a small gruiform family, are poorly and partly erroneously recognized. Grallolichus heliornisi sp. n. (Astigmata: Pterolichidae) is here described from the sungrebe Heliornis fulica as the first representative of the genus commonly found on close relatives of finfoots, Rallidae and Sarothuridae. This species belongs to the species group having ornamented dorsal shields and is morphologically most close to G. proctogamus inhabiting Eurasian coot (Fulica atra). Males of the new species differ from G. proctogamus mainly by the shape of opisthosomal lobes (triangular vs. rounded) and the aedeagus form (parallel sided vs. tapering distally). Females differ mainly by the shape of supranal concavity (open anteriorly vs. closed) and location of setae h1 in relation to supranal concavity (lateral vs. anterior). A key to known species of the genus Grallolichus is provided. The morphological analysis and descriptive characterization of this species, like much of the approximately 2500 feather mite species described to date, were based on mummified mite material preserved in 19th-century old museum bird specimens. These often-forgotten collections are the only source for the analysis of the acarofauna of many rare, unavailable wild or even extinct bird taxa.
... Of the 211 parasitic Acari taxa assessed in this report, 8 are Data Deficient, 25 are Threatened, 18 are At Risk and 61 are Not Threatened (Table 1). One species -the huia mite Coraciacarus muellermotzfeldi Dabert & Alberti, 2008 -is assessed as Extinct as its only known host, the huia (Heteralocha acutirostris), is known to be extinct (Robertson et al. 2017). Ticks originally thought to be associated with H. acutirostris are now considered to be contaminants or erroneously assigned to that host (Heath & Palma 2016). ...
The conservation status of 211 parasitic (on animals only) mite and tick (Acari) taxa was assessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). A list is presented, along with a statistical summary and brief notes on the most important changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for parasitic mites and ticks.
... Up to this date, about 65 species have been described, from hosts belonging to various orders of terrestrial birds: Accipitriformes, Caprimulgiformes, Coraciiformes, Cuculiformes, Falconiformes, Galbuliformes, Otidiformes, Passeriformes, and Piciformes. Mironov et al. (2014) summarized the data on gabuciniids described from passerines, including one species described from an extinct passerine once endemic to New Zealand -the huia, Heteralocha acutirostris (Gould, 1837) (Dabert & Alberti 2008). ...
... The genus currently includes nine species, including the two new species described herein, from hosts of the orders Cuculiformes, Musophagiformes, Coraciiformes, and Passeriformes , Alzuet et al. 1988, Gaud 1960, 1966, 1978, Dabert & Alberti 2008. The list of previously described species below mentions only type hosts: Coraciacarus americanus Alzuet et al., 1988 from Coccyzus americanus (Linnaeus, 1758), C. cuculi (Mégnin & Trouessart, 1884) from Cuculus canorus Linnaeus, 1758, C. dithyridus Gaud, 1966 from Corythaixoides concolor (Smith, 1833), C. musophagi (Trouessart, 1886) Epimerites I, II without inflated bases. ...
... from Crinifer piscator (Boddaert, 1783), C. meropis leptusGaud, 1978 from Merops pusillus Statius Müller, 1766, C. m. meropisDubinin, 1956 from Merops apiaster Linnaeus, 1758, C. muellermotzfeldiDabert & Alberti, 2008 from Heteralocha acutirostris(Gould, 1837), and C. punctatusGaud, 1960 from Corvus albicollis Latham, 1790. A more complete table with all recorded host associations of the genus Coraciacarus was provided by Dabert & Alberti (2008). ...
The feather mite family Gabuciniidae currently includes 16 genera and approximately 65 described species associated with birds of nine orders, with the greatest diversity on Accipitriformes. In this study, 11 new species are described from the following hosts: Aetacarus accipiter sp. nov. from the Bicolored Hawk Accipiter bicolor (Vieillot, 1817) (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), Capitolichus campoflicker sp. nov. from the Campo Flicker Colaptes campestris (Vieillot, 1818) (Piciformes: Picidae), Coraciacarus cabure sp. nov. from the Barred Forest-falcon Micrastur ruficollis (Vieillot, 1817) (Falconiformes: Falconidae), Coraciacarus peixefrito sp. nov. from the Pheasant Cuckoo Dromococcyx phasianellus (Spix, 1824) (Cuculiformes: Cuculidae), Gabucinia neotropica sp. nov. from the Curl-crested Jay Cyanocorax cristatellus (Temminck, 1823) (type host) and C. chrysops (Vieillot, 1818) (Passeriformes: Corvidae), Hieracolichus caboclo sp. nov. from the Savanna Hawk Buteogallus meridionalis (Latham, 1790) (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), Hieracolichus falcon sp. nov. from the Southern Caracara Caracara plancus (Miller, 1777) (Falconiformes: Falconidae), Piciformobia adjuncta sp. nov. from the Guira Cuckoo Guira guira (Gmelin, 1788) (Cuculiformes: Cuculidae), Proaposolenidia bicolor sp. nov. from the Bicolored Hawk Accipiter bicolor (Vieillot, 1817) (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), Proaposolenidia plumbea sp. nov. from the Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea (Gmelin, 1788) (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), and Tocolichus toco sp. nov. from the Toco Toucan Ramphastos toco Statius Müller, 1776 (Piciformes: Ramphastidae). In addition, two new combinations are proposed, Proaposolenidia ostoda (Gaud, 1983) comb. nov. and Aetacarus hirundo (Mégnin & Trouessart, 1884) comb. nov., both transferred from the genus Hieracolichus. With the addition of these new species, the number of gabuciniids described from the Neotropical region has increased from 14 to 25 species. These findings indicate that Brazil is home to a large diversity of undescribed gabuciniids, which is not surprising considering the vast bird fauna of this country, and especially since most avian species from Brazil have yet to be investigated for their feather mites.
... Thus, when a bird species becomes extinct there is a high chance that its ectoparasites become also extinct (Koh et al., 2004). Some authors have recently described new feather mite species from extinct birds, such as the Caronlina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis L. (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) and the ivory-billed woodpecker Campephilus principalis (L.) (Piciformes: Picidae) in North America (Mironov et al., 2005a, b), and the huia Heteralocha acutirostris (Gould) (Passeriformes: Callaeatidae) in New Zealand (Dabert & Alberti, 2008). ...
Two new feather mites of the genus Calcealges Gaud, 1952 (Acari: Trouessartiidae) are described from antbirds (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) in Brazil: Calcealges formicivorae n. sp. from Formicivora grisea (Boddaert) and C. stymphalornithi n. sp. from Stymphalornis acutirostris Bornschein, Reinert & Teixeira. Calcealges formicivorae n. sp. differs from C. trinidadensis Orwig by having, in both sexes, the inner margin of the humeral shields deeply incised and, in females, setae d2 reaching only to the level of trochanters III. Calcealges stymphalornithi n. sp. differs from C. novimundus Orwig, 1968 by having in both sexes the posterolateral areas of the prodorsal shield with longitudinal and oblique striae; males also have the central area of hysteronotal shield without ornamentation and relatively shorter setae d2.
... Drawings and measurements of mites were made with a Leica DM3000 microscope equipped with differential interference contrast optics (DIC) and a camera lucida. Descriptions of new species follow modern standards used for pterolichoid mites (Mironov et al. 2007(Mironov et al. , 2014a(Mironov et al. , 2014bDabert & Alberti 2008;Pedroso et al. 2015). General morphological terms and leg chaetotaxy follow Gaud and Atyeo (1996); idiosomal chaetotaxy also follows these authors with corrections to coxal setae proposed by Norton (1998). ...
Five new species of the family Pterolichidae are described from two common non-parasitic cuckoo species of the subfamily Crotophaginae (Cuculiformes: Cuculidae) in Brazil: Aniacarus ani sp. n. from the Smooth-billed Ani, Crotophaga ani Linnaeus, A. simplex sp. n., A. robustus sp. n., A. coronatus sp. n. and Aniibius guirae sp. n. from the Guira Cuckoo, Guira guira (Gmelin). A key to all known species of Aniacarus is provided. All four pterolichid species associated with the G. guira can occur simultaneously on one host individual. A brief review of studies of feather mites associated with Cuculidae is given.
... Description of the new species follows recent papers on taxonomy of the family Gabuciniidae (Mironov et al. 2007Dabert and Alberti 2008). All measurements are in micrometres (μm). ...
... Family Gabuciniidae Atyeo, 1974 Genus Cathartacarus Mironov andGalloway, 2003 The family Gabuciniidae comprises sixteen genera known from at least eight bird orders, and seven of the recognized genera are found on birds of the order Falconiformes (Gaud and Atyeo 1974;Gaud 1983;Philipps 2000;Mironov and Galloway 2003;Mironov et al. 2007;Dabert and Alberti 2008). Recent authors (Hackett et al. 2008;Mayr 2014) split this group of birds into Falconiformes proper, Cathartiformes and Acciptriformes. ...
Feather mites (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea) live in the plumage and on the skin of birds. Because of the huge diversity of birds in Brazil, several groups still remain almost unexplored concerning their feather mites. In this paper we describe a new feather mite species, Cathartacarus coragyps sp. n. (Gabuciniidae), from the Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus (Bechstein) (Cathartiformes, Cathartidae), and report seven species new for Brazil from birds of the orders Charadriiformes and Cariamiformes: Brephosceles chilensis Peterson, 1971 (Alloptidae), Bychovskiata chilensis Mironov and Dabert, 1995 (Avenzoariidae), Magimelia chilensis Dabert et al., 2002 (Pterolichidae), Sokoloviana chilensis Dabert and Ehrnsberger, 1996 (Ptiloxenidae), and Leptosphyra centropoda (Mégnin, 1877) (Xolalgidae) from the Southern Lapwing, Vanellus chilensis (Molina), and Gabuciniella camptoloba Gaud and Atyeo, 1996 from the Red-legged Seriema, Cariama cristata (Linnaeus).http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1F953DFC-7F7E-4A18-A882-0891557F50F6
... The feather mite family Gabuciniidae (Acariformes: Pterolichoidea) currently includes about 60 species in 16 genera (Černý 1975;Gaud and Atyeo 1975;De Alzuet et al. 1988;Mironov and Galloway 2003;Proctor et al. 2006;Mironov et al. 2007;Dabert and Alberti 2008). In the plumage of their avian hosts, these medium-sized astigmatan mites (300-500 micrometers long) occupy the primaries and secondaries of the wings and retrices, where they are located in corridors between barbs on the ventral side of vanes. ...
Two new species of the feather mite family Gabucinidae (Acari: Astigmata) are described from birds of the family Troglodytidae (Passeriformes) from Central America: Piciformobia cinnycerthiae sp. nov. from Cinnycerthia unirufa (Lafresnaye) in Ecuador, and P. henicorhinae sp. nov. from Henicorhina leucosticte (Cabanis) in Costa Rica. These are the first records of mites of the genus Piciformobia Gaud et Atyeo, 1975 from passerine hosts. A renewed diagnosis of the genus Piciformobia and key to all known species are provided.
... Feather mites remain in bird plumage also after bird's death as dried "mummies" that gives an opportunity to examine feather mites acarofauna on preserved birds in ornithological collections (DABERT & ALBERTI 2008). During systematic studies on feather mites carried out in the ornitho- logical collections of German museums one of us (JD) found some representatives of pterolichid mites on dry skins of the two individuals of falconets, the world's smallest falconiform birds. ...
Szeptyckiana, a new genus of the feather mite family Pterolichidae (Pterolichoidea), is described based on two new species, S. macrosetosa sp. n. (type species), and S. microsetosa sp. n., collected from the wing feathers of a museum specimens of the Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius (Drapiez, 1824) (Falconidae). This highly plesiomorphic new genus is characterized by pseudorutellar membranes with net-like pattern of hexagonal cells, complete idiosomal chaetotaxy, lanceolate setae c3, free epimerites I, and dagger-like setae cG on genua I and II. Males have very short opisthosomal lobes with tongue-shaped terminal membranes, genital and anal region not sclerotized, medium-sized aedeagus and minute adanal discs, not modified legs similar in size, tarsi IV with small apico-ventral claw, and setae d on tarsi IV shaped as short sticks; seta e absent. Females have large horseshoe-shaped epigynum, 1.4-1.7 times longer than wide, and the ends of legs IV not reaching posterior rounded margin of the body. The occurrence of two Szeptyckiana species on a single individual of M. fringillarius is the first record of feather mite lineage duplication on falconiform birds.
This paper reviews the state of knowledge of the feather mites of Australia (Arachnida: Acariformes: Astigmata). The known fauna includes 149 species arranged in 95 genera and 24 families, in the Superfamilies Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea. A checklist of the fauna is provided, including bibliographic details for every species and genus. The bird host and collecting localities are listed for every species, and taxonomic and nomenclatural problems are discussed where necessary. The total fauna may include as many as 800 undescribed species. The checklist is preceded by a brief review of some aspects of the biology of feather mites, which have not been studied in the context of the Australian fauna.The correct spelling for a family of respiratory tract parasites is confirmed as Kytoditidae. Dabertia indistincta (Dabert & Atyeo, 1993) comb. n. (Syringobiidae) and Hemialges australis (Trouessart, 1885) comb. n. (Analgidae) are new combinations proposed herein.
Parasitism is a widespread life-history strategy in nature. Despite the abundance of parasitic species, many aspects of their biology (e.g., population parameters, vulnerability degree, extinction possibility, and the need for protection) remain understudied. Parasites are perceived negatively (even by some scientists). This results in the underappreciation of the importance of parasites in the biosphere. In this review, we summarise modern views on the ecological, scientific and applied significance of parasites. According to literature review, parasitism is not considered as a strictly negative phenomenon. And parasites are recognised as significant components of the ecosystem similarly to free-living species. Prospects and extent of co-extinction of parasites with the hosts and the possible consequences of this phenomenon are discussed. Additionally, we discussed the problems and solutions associated with parasitic species conservation as well as recommendations on considering the status of protected species to several ectoparasite species.