Bozena Sikora

• Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan that poses a significant threat as a multicellular pathogen, leading to the disease known as toxoplasmosis. This parasite exhibits a complex and extensive developmental cycle, with felines, including domestic cats, serving as the definitive host, while warm-blooded animals—primaril...

Leeches are aquatic organisms, amphibiotic, that take up food through predation or parasitism. It is well known that blood uptake is characterised by morphological adaptations such as the formation of suckers, the branching of the intestine into a series of small diverticula, and the secretion of an active substance that prevents the host blood fro...

Leeches are aquatic organisms, amphibiotic, that take up food through predation or parasitism. It is well known that blood uptake is characterised by morphological adaptations such as the formation of suckers, the branching of the intestine into a series of small diverticula, and the secretion of an active substance that prevents the host blood fro...

Simple Summary This study provides detailed information on six previously described species of syringophilines associated with starlings and records new host and locality data. Additionally, three new species are described: Aulonastus indonesianus sp. n., Aulonastus anais sp. n., and Syringophiloidus poeopterus sp. n., from various starling hosts a...

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan recognized as a significant multicellular pathogen responsible for the disease known as toxoplasmosis. This parasite possesses a complex and extensive developmental cycle, with felines, including domestic cats, serving as the definitive hosts, while various species of warm-blooded vertebrates an...

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan that poses a significant threat as a multicellular pathogen, leading to the disease known as toxoplasmosis. This parasite exhibits a complex and extensive developmental cycle, with felines, including domestic cats, serving as the definitive host, while warm-blooded animals—primarily vertebrates,...

The first bite by deer ked Lipoptena cervi (Linnaeus, 1758) on humans has been reported from Slovakia. The host was bitten on the head and neck. Pain and itching appeared immediately after the bite. The skin lesion persisted for several weeks. Although the first documented case of human stings is published here, bites may have occurred in the past,...

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite responsible for a complex zoonosis in humans and animals known as toxoplasmosis. It possesses a multifaceted developmental cycle and an intricate network of infection pathways. The definitive hosts are felines, including domestic cats, while the intermediate hosts comprise various species of warm...

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite responsible for a complex zoonosis in humans and animals known as toxoplasmosis. It possesses a multifaceted developmental cycle and an intricate network of infection pathways. The definitive hosts are felines, including domestic cats, while the intermediate hosts comprise various species of warm...

Investigations of the parasites associated with extinct avian species provide unique insights into the ecology and evolution of both hosts and their parasitic counterparts. In the present paper, a new quill mite species, Peristerophila conuropsis sp. n., belonging to the family Syringophilidae (Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) is described from the Carol...

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan responsible for a complex zoonosis known as toxoplasmosis in both humans and animals. It possesses a multifaceted developmental cycle and an intricate network of infection pathways. The definitive hosts are felids, including domestic cats, while the intermediate hosts comprise various species of...

The city-a modern jungle, where not cellulose and photosynthesis but concrete and combustion reign supreme. The question now being asked by urban planners, governments, and scientists is if it may stay like that and if it can stay like that or if it has to stay like that. Social, economic, cultural, historical, and legal factors are determinants in...

The Yellow-breasted Barbet (Trachyphonus margaritatus) is a group-living and chorusing bird species. However, its vocal repertoire remains poorly described. In this study, we measured the acoustic features of four distinct vocalisations as well as the daily calling activity of barbets at 11 roosting cavity sites. We found that bird’s peak of callin...

Simple Summary This research presents a description of a new species of quill mite, Tinamiphilopsis temmincki sp. n. (Acariformes: Syringophilidae), which was found on a representative of palaeognathous bird species, the Tataupa Tinamou (Crypturellus tataupa), in South America. Alongside describing this new species, a phylogenetic analysis was cond...

Simple Summary This study investigated the picobiine mites parasitising African barbets. The results showed that this bird family is more widely infested by feather mites than previously thought, with three species of the genus Tanopicobia found on ten African barbet species. Birds belonging to the family Lybiidae have a unique parasite fauna consi...

Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan, parasitic protozoan recognized as an intracellular pathogen. It is responsible for causing toxoplasmosis in both humans and animals. First described in 1908 from the body of a rodent, it has since become the subject of extensive research at numerous institutions worldwide. The organism possesses a complex develo...

Na przestrzeni lat zwierzęta wielokrotnie stanowiły obiekt badań w zakresie procesów poznawczych. Przeprowadzane na nich eksperymenty pozwoliły na sformułowanie takich pojęć jak warunkowanie klasyczne i instrumentalne, czy prawo efektu. Opracowanie to stanowi przedstawienie danych literaturowych oraz wyników własnych badań, które wpłynęły na rozwój...

Simple Summary We report on the occurrence of parasitic quill mites of the family Syringophilidae on the well-known avian group birds-of-paradise. Our investigation resulted in the discovery of two new species of mites belonging to the subfamily Picobiinae, which has never before been recorded on birds-of-paradise. We hypothesise that the interspec...

A new quill mite species of the family Syringophilidae and subfamily Picobiinae, Charadriineopicobia janegoodallae sp. nov., is described. It was collected from Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel Hydrobates tethys (Bonaparte), a representative of the order Procellariiformes and family Hydrobatidae. Our finding is the first record of the subfamily Picobiinae...

Biological evolution in the cities.

The poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae, known as the primarily ectoparasite of laying hens and synanthropic birds (e.g. pigeons), can also bite humans, causing Red-Mite Dermatitis (RMD) with untypical symptoms of erythematous maculo-papular rash and urticaria-like lesions. In this study, we present the first case of RMD diagnosed in a 12 year ol...

The family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata) includes obligatory ectoparasites, which occupy feather quills from various parts of avian plumage, where they feed and reproduce. Our study was concerned with the global fauna of syringophilid mites associated with Psittaciformes, as well as host-parasite specificity and evolution. We assumed that th...

Różnorodność ubarwienia wśród europejskiej herpetofauny odgrywa kluczową rolę w funkcjonowaniu tych zwierząt. Dotyczy to zarówno ubarwienia kryptycznego, godowego jak i ostrzegawczego. Z tego względu coraz częściej powstają nowe publikacje dotyczące tematyki zmienności kolorystycznej oraz licznych mutacji wśród wielu gatunków gadów i płazów. Często...

Światowa herpetofauna musi się aktualnie mierzyć z wieloma zagrożeniami m.in. zmianami klimatycznymi, zanieczyszczeniem środowiska czy fragmentacją i utratą siedlisk. Jednym z największych problemów są także coraz szerzej występujące patogeny takie jak grzyby, bakterie i wirusy. Niektóre z nich jak np. grzyby z rodzaju Batrachochytrium powodujące u...

The small passerine family Neosittidae has never been checked under the presence of ectoparasitic mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata). Herein, we describe a new species, Aulobia sittellae n. sp., collected from the Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera (Latham). In addition to the first record of the syringophilid mit...

Cooperative behaviour is a prominent feature among many group-living species and continues to pose challenges to our understanding about the evolution of social relationships and task coordination between members of the same social group. Individuals who are willing to cooperate to achieve a joined action need to communicate their intentions and so...

In this paper, we review the quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae Lavoipierre, 1953 (Acariformes: Prostigmata) associated with New World and African parrots (Aves: Psittaciformes: Psittacidae), and describe eight new species including: Neoaulobia unsoeldi Marciniak-Musial & Sikora sp. nov. from the Burrowing Parakeet Cyanoliseus patagonus...

Due to the biological uniqueness of the Galápagos Islands, ectoparasites of their avian fauna are relatively well-studied compared with other oceanic islands. However, in this study, quill mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) were investigated for the first time in this archipelago. We investigated 7 species (out of 9) and 133 specimen...

A new species, Stibarokris nielseni sp. nov. (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) parasitizing Puffinus puffinus (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) in Iceland, with notes on host associations of the genus Stibarokris Abstract A new syringophilid mite species, Stibarokris nielseni sp. nov., from Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus is described. This findin...

The quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae Lavoipierre, 1953 (Acariformes: Prostigmata) associated with parrots (Aves: Psittaciformes) are reviewed. Seven new species are described: Pipicobia cyclopsitta Marciniak-Musial, Hromada & Sikora sp. nov. from the Double-Eyed Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma in Papua New Guinea; P. fuscata Marcin...

Only one quill mite species representing the subfamily Picobiinae Johnston & Kethley, 1973 (Acariformes, Syringophilidae) has been known from gruiform birds (Gruiformes, Rallidae) up to now, i. e., Rafapicobia melzeri Skoracki et al., 2014 recorded from hosts belonging to four genera of rails, Rallus, Pardirallus, Porzana, and Zapornia. Herein we d...

We studied the quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae, associated with bee-eaters. We examined 273 bird specimens belonging to nine closely related species of the genus Merops, representing two phylogenetic sister clades of a monophyletic group. Our examination reveals the presence of two species of the genus Peristerophila, as follows: (1)...

The comparative study of ontogeny and morphological structures of quill mite infrapopulations of a newly described species Peristerophila hirundineussp. nov. from Merops hirundineus (Coraciiformes: Meropidae), collected in Namibia, D.R. Congo, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, shows evidence of female dimorphism in the genus PeristerophilaKethley, 1970. This...

A new quill mite species Rafapicobia olszanowskii sp. nov., belonging to the subfamily Picobiinae (Acariformes: Syringophilidae), is described from quills of contour feathers of the Toucan Barbet Semnornis ramphastinus (Jardine) (Piciformes: Semnornithidae) from Ecuador. Our finding is the first record of syringophilid mites on birds of the family...

Three new species of the family Syringophilidae associated with birds of the pantropically distributed order Coraciiformes are described: two new species of the subfamily Picobiinae—Rafapicobia momoti sp. nov. ex the Rufous-capped Motmot Baryphthengus ruficapillus (Vieillot) (Momotidae) from Brazil, Rafapicobia brachypteraci sp. nov. ex the Rufous-...

A new monotypic genus Tanopicobia gen. nov. is established for a new species Tanopicobia trachyphoni sp. nov., parasitizing Trachyphonus erythrocephalus Cabanis, 1878 (Piciformes: Lybiidae) from Tanzania. In phylogenetic analyses based on morphological data and constructed using the maximum parsimony approach, this taxon falls within the subfamily...

Quill mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) are a family of about 400 ectoparasite species known to infest birds for over 140 years. All previously identified quill mites occur in the calamus, a cavity of the bird feather, where they spent their entire life except for a short dispersion period. In this study, we report the first record...

We investigated the quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae associated with the Sunbirds in the Sub-Saharan region. 611 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 quil...

Research and collecting of the Polish tydeid mite fauna have resulted, among others, in a collective list of species occurring in bird nests. Three of them are described as new to science and two others are new to Polish fauna. A checklist of the species of the Tydeinae from bird nests is provided. The new species are: Lorryia lusciniella Kaźmiersk...

A new species, Castosyringophilus meropis sp. n., found in quills of feathers of the European bee-eater Merops apiaster Linnaeus (Coraciiformes: Meropidae) is described. This new species is close to C. claravis Skoracki et Glowska, 2008 and differs, in females, by the presence apunctate coxal fields (vs sparsely punctate in C. claravis) and by the...

A new species of syringophilid quill mites, Aulonastus paridus spec. nov. is described based on the material collected from the African tits (Aves: Passeriformes: Paridae): Melaniparus fringillinus Fischer & Reichenov from Tanzania and M. albiventris (Shelley) from Kenya. Among 14 species of the genus Aulonastus Kethley, it differs from the closely...

Quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) associated with birds in Madagascar are described for the first time. All host specimens were captured in humid forest formations of the Toliara Province of extreme southeastern Madagascar. Three new species are described: Rafapicobia copsychus Skoracki, OConnor and...

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) fro...

A new species of parasitic quill mite, Syringophiloidus bucerotidus Skoracki et Sikora sp. nov. is described based on the mite material collected from contour feather quills of six hornbill species (Bucerotiformes: Bucerotidae): Horizocerus hartlaubi (Gould) [type host] and H. albocristatus (Cassin) from D.R. Congo, Tockus flavirostris (Rüppell) an...

The aim of this study was to assess the importance of forest passerine birds in spreading ixodid ticks infected with rickettsiae of spotted fever group (SFG) in sylvatic habitats in western Poland. In total, 834 immature Ixodes ricinus ticks were found on 64 birds of 11 species which were captured during the tick-questing season between May and Sep...

The quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) associated with owls (Aves: Strigiformes) is reviewed. A new genus is proposed, Neobubophilus Skoracki & Unsoeld gen. nov. It differs from closely related Bubophilus (Philips and Norton, 1978) by the absence of leg setae vsII in the both sexes. In addition, four n...

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 record...

Ixodes ricinus is the most prevalent and widely distributed tick species in European countries and plays a principal role in transmission of a wide range of microbial pathogens. It is also a main vector and reservoir of Rickettsia spp. of the spotted fever group with the infection level ranging in Poland from 1.3 to 11.4%. Nevertheless, little rese...

We investigated abundance and prevalence of ticks and fleas infesting urban populations of two species of hedgehogs: the northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) and the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). The hedgehogs were captured in the city of Poznań (western Poland) over the period of 4 years. Both species of hedgehogs wer...

Two new species of syringophilid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) associated with passeriform birds of the family Rhinocryptidae in South America are described: Syringophiloidus teledromas sp. nov. from Teledromas fuscus (Sclater and Salvin) in Argentina and Aulonastus pteroptochos sp. nov. from Pteroptochos tarnii (King) in Chile. The g...

The fauna of zerconid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) of the Nearctic region is comprehensively revised. All known 69 species grouped in 26 genera occurring in the Nearctic region are examined. Five new genera are proposed: Betaechinozercon gen. nov., Neoechinozercon gen. nov., Paramixozercon gen. nov., Rafaskas gen. nov., and Whartonas gen...

Infestation by the nest-dwelling Ixodes hexagonus Leach and the exophilic Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) on the Northern white-breasted hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicus (Erinaceomorpha: Erinaceidae), was investigated during a 4-year study in residential areas of the city of Poznań, west-central Poland. Of 341 hedgehogs, 303 (88.9%) hos...

Two new quill mite species of the family Syringophilidae, Picobia passeri sp. nov. and Krantziaulonastus dubinini sp. nov., are described from quills of the body feathers of the house sparrow Passer domesticus (L.) (Passeriformes: Passeridae) from the European part of Russia.

Neomicrozercon nearcticus gen. et sp. nov., a new genus and species of zerconid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) are described based on material of both sexes collected in the United States of America (Oregon).

Six species of 3 genera belonging to the fur mite family Listrophoridae were recorded on skins of South American rodents of the cricetid subfamily Sigmodontinae housed in the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (Munich, Germany). Among them, Amlistrophorus geoxus sp. nov. from Geoxus valdivianus from Chile is described as a new for science, and ma...

The morphology of juvenile and adult stages of the quill mite Bubophilus aluconis Nattress and Skoracki, 2009 parasitizing the Long-eared Owl Asio otus (Linnaeus) (Aves: Strigiformes) in Poland is described and illustrated. Poland is a new location and A. otus is a new host species for B. aluconis. A description of the male is presented for the fir...

Three new species of quill mites of the subfamily Picobiinae Johnston & Kethley, 1973 (Acari: Syringophilidae) are described from African flycatchers (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae): Picobia cichladusa n. sp. on Cichladusa arquata Peters and P. myrmecocichla n. sp. on Myrmecocichla arnotti (Tristram), both from Tanzania, and P. echo n. sp. on Cossyph...

Three new species, belonging to the newly proposed genus Pseudopicobia gen. n., inhabiting body quill feathers of puff-birds (Piciformes: Bucconidae), are described: P nonnula sp. n. from Nonnula frontalis (Sclater) in Colombia, P malacoptila sp. n. from Malacoptila panamensis Lafresnaye in Colombia and P hapaloptila sp. n. from Hapaloptila castane...

To investigate the potential of wild boars to host Anaplasma phagocytophilum, we analyzed bacterial 16S rRNA and ank genes. DNA sequencing identified several A. phagocytophilum variants, including a predominance of strains known to cause human disease. Boars are thus hosts for A. phagocytophilum, notably, strains associated with human granulocytic...

Tinamiphilopsis ariconte n. sp., a syringophilid mite, is described from three tinamou species (Tinamidae), Rhynchotus rufescens (Temminck) and Nothura boraquira (Spix) in Paraguay and N. minor (Spix) in Brazil. These data indirectly support the hypothesis that the cheyletoid-like predatory ancestor of the Syringophilidae switched to parasitism bef...

Three new species of syringophilid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) associated with birds of the family Troglo-dytidae (Aves: Passeriformes) are described: Syringophiloidus microcerculus Sikora & Skoracki sp. nov. from Microcer-culus marginatus (Sclater) from Brasil, Aulonastus henicorhina Sikora & Skoracki sp. nov. from Henicorhina leucost...

Two new species of syringophilid mites parasitizing birds from the family Mimidae are described: Syringophilopsis mim-idus sp. nov. ex Margarops fuscatus (Vieillot) from Central America and Rafapicobia toxostoma sp. nov. ex Toxostoma curvirostre (Swainson) from USA. Additionally, Torotrogla mima Kethley, 1970 is redescribed based on the material ex...

A review of the syringophilid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) parasitizing galliform birds is given. Four new species are described: Kalamotrypetes cracidus sp. nov. ex Penelope sp. from Guyana and Ortalis canicollis (Wagler) (Cracidae) from Paraguay; Galliphilopsis colinus sp. nov. ex Colinus cristatus (Linnaeus) from Sur...

We surveyed the prevalence of quill mites in wild passerines captured in Wielkopolski National Park, Poland. A total of 438 birds of 12 species were mist-netted during three consecutive spring seasons from 2006–2008. Eight bird species were infested with syringophilid mites: Erithacus rubecula (L.) (index of prevalence, IP = 16.2%), Turdrus merula...

seasons. Roe deer were sampled during the summer and the fall in 10 districts (Czarnkow, Krzykosy, Oborniki, Margonin, Miedzychod, Murowana-Goslina, Poniec, Sierakow, Trzcian- ka, Wielen ´ ), whereas samples from red and fallow deer were obtained only during the fall in nine (listed above with the exception of Krykosy) and two districts (Margonin,...

Descriptions of four new species of the genus Picobia are given: P. lemi sp. nov. from Manucodia chalybatus (Forster) (type host) and from Manucodia ater (Lesson) (Passeriformes: Paradisaeidae) from New Guinea; P. epthianura sp. nov. from Epthianura aurifrons Gould (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae); P. corcoracus sp. nov. from Corcorax melanorham- phos...

Between May and September of 2002, forest passerine birds and immature Ixodes ricinus ticks infesting them were surveyed for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in a sylvatic habitat in west-central Poland. A total of 738 feeding I. ricinus ticks were recovered from 114 birds belonging to 9 species. The majority of ticks (65.7%) were collected...

Blaszakiella americana gen. et sp. nov., a new genus and species of zerconid mite (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) is described and figured. This new genus differs from the closely related Microzercon Blaszak, 1976 by the presence both of small adgenital shields with openings of adgenital glands gv2. A key for females of Zerconidae genera in the N...

A new species Terratosyringophilus reichholfi spec. nov. is described from quills of Lorius lory (L.) (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) from New Guinea. The syringophilids were acquired from the bird specimens housed in the The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Germany. The new species is distinguishable from other described species of this genus...

A new genus and two new species of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) are described and figured from birds of the order Musophagiformes. Blaszakia gen. nov. differs from the closely related Charadriphilus Bochkov et Chistyakov, 2001 by the rounded posterior margin of the stylophore and small number of chambers in the peritremal branches. The firs...

Forest passerine birds and their ectoparasites: Ixodes ricinus ticks and Syringophilidae quill mites were surveyed for infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in west-central Poland. Of 126 birds captured from May to June of 2002, 71 (56.3%) comprising eight species, hosted immature I. ricinus ticks. A total of 383 ticks and 71 blood samples colle...

Wild rodents and the subadult Ixodes ricinus (L.) ticks infesting them were examined for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner s.l. in a sylvatic habitat in west central Poland during May-September 2002. In total, 818 feeding ticks were recovered from 73 infested yellow-necked mice, Apodemus flavicollis M...

A new genus, Neosyringophilopsis is described. This new genus is closely related to Syringophilopsis Kethley and is distinguished by the presence of the following characters: the propodosomal shield is divided longitudinally, setae lG of legs IV are absent, epimeres I are not fused to epimeres II. This new genus includes five recognized species: N....

A new genus, Neosyringophilopsis is described. This new genus is closely related to Syringophilopsis Kethley and is distinguished by the presence of the following characters: the propodosomal shield is divided longitudinally, setae lG of legs IV are absent, epimeres I are not fused to epimeres II. This new genus includes five recognized species: N....

The mites of the family Syringophilidae are permanent and obligatory parasites of birds. These mites are found inside most feathers (primaries, secondaries, coverts of wing and tail, and even body feather). This paper presents the habitat selection of five quill mite species: Torotrogla cardueli, T. rubeculi, T. merulae, Syringophilopsis fringillae...