Miroslav Capek

• Ing. CSc.
• Researcher at Institute of Vertebrate Biology AS CR, v. v. i.

A total of 1,621 wild birds representing 34 species were examined for chewing lice in reed beds in southwestern Slovakia during the pre-breeding migration 2008–2009 and 2016–2019. A total of 377 (23.3%) birds representing 15 species were parasitized by 26 species of chewing lice of 12 genera. Dominant genera were Penenirmus (with dominance 32.6%) a...

Lice were collected from 579 hummingbirds, representing 49 species, in 19 locations in Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras, Paraguay and Peru, at elevations 0–3000 m above sea level. The following variables were included in an ecological analysis (1) host species' mean body mass, sexual size dimorphism, sexual dichromatism, migratory behaviour and dominan...

A total of 1185 passerine birds representing five species were examined for chewing lice in reed beds in southwestern Slovakia in spring (April) 2008, 2009 and 2016. Additional collecting focused only on chewing lice from Panurus biarmicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Panuridae) was carried out in spring (April), summer (July) and autumn (Octob...

The feather mite genus Lamellodectes Hernandes and Valim, 2014 (Proctophyllodidae) was originally referred to the subfamily Pterodectinae based on the crucial diagnostic feature of this subfamily—the fusion of the epigynum with epimerites IIIa in females. Detailed investigation of two Lamellodectes species collected from ovenbirds (Passeriformes: F...

Avian brood parasite hosts can use distinct egg traits to recognize a parasitic egg. Previous studies suggested an important role of eggshell ultraviolet (UV) reflectance in rejection. According to the egg detectability hypothesis, natural selection might have selected for a conspicuous egg UV signal, especially in dark nest environments. We tested...

The study focuses on chigger mites parasitizing bird hosts in three countries of Latin America, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Peru. In total, 785 chiggers collected from 145 birds of 67 species have been identified. Three new species have been described: Eutrombicula talamancensis sp. nov., from ten bird species in Costa Rica, Eutrombicula cathari sp....

Understanding egg-laying behaviour of brood parasites in space and time can improve our knowledge of interactions between hosts and parasites. However, no studies have combined information on the laying activity of an obligate brood parasite with detailed information on the distribution of host nests within an area and time period. Here, we used mo...

Dos especies de ácaros del género Neharpyrhynchus (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) fueron registrados en aves silvestres del Perú: Neharpyrhynchus trochilinus ex Amazilia lactea y A. chionogaster (ambos Apodiformes: Trochilidae) y Neharpyrhynchus tangara ex Thraupis episcopus (Passeriformes: Thraupidae). Los registros en A. chionogaster y T. episcopu...

Animals rely on an array of environmental triggers or cues to make their behavioural and life‐history decisions. Brood‐parasitic females should prefer the best host to maximize their reproductive success. Despite the fact that Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus ) is one of the most frequent host of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus ),...

Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in other birds' nests, and hosts can mitigate the fitness cost of raising unrelated offspring by rejecting parasitic eggs. A visually-based cognitive mechanism often thought to be used by hosts to discriminate the foreign egg is to compare it against the hosts' own eggshell by size, shape, maculation, and/or gro...

One of the most effective defensive strategies of hosts against brood parasites is rejection, commonly achieved by ejection of the parasitic egg or desertion of the parasitized nest. Nest desertion should be a costlier strategy than egg ejection, because birds must thesn spend additional time and energy renesting, and therefore we still cannot expl...

The paper provides new data on systematics and host associations of feather mites of the subfamily Proctophyllodinae (Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) recorded on passerine birds (Passeriformes) in Costa Rica. A total of 25 proctophyllodine species of six genera have been recorded, of which 19 new species are described: Anisophyllodes cuneiformis sp....

In some systems, brood parasites may be attracted by vocal or visual signals connected with host breeding. We studied a Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) population where annually 30–50% of nests are parasitized by the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). We observed host males and quantified their song-related behaviors, including time sp...

Females of avian brood parasites have evolved various tactics to succeed in their reproductive strategy. Many of these adaptations, for example speed and timing of egg laying or egg mimicry, have been investigated in detail. However, one peculiar habit of parasitic females is still not fully understood—egg removal by adult parasitic females before...

The use of active chemical defence against predators is relatively rare in birds. Among others, it has been reported for some members of family Cuculidae whose chicks, when threatened, expel dark foul-smelling liquid from their cloaca. Apart from the brood parasitic great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius, however, this phenomenon has not yet been...

A total of 12 chigger species (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) occurred on 7 bird species in Vietnam. Two new species, namely Neoschoengastia vietnamensis sp. nov. and Hypogastia stekolnikovi sp. nov. are described, figured and compared with similar species placed in relevant genera using differential diagnoses of related species. Figures and diagnosis...

Brood parasitism generally has detrimental effect on host fitness. To avoid the negative consequences of brood parasitism, hosts have often evolved an effective counter-adaptation—recognition and rejection of parasitic eggs. Because eggshells of the Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) and its brood parasite, the common cuckoo (Cuculus c...

Parasites with wide host spectra provide opportunities to study the ecological parameters of speciation, as well as the process of the evolution of host specificity. The speciose and cosmopolitan louse genus Menacanthus comprises both multi-host and specialised species, allowing exploration of the ecological and historical factors affecting the evo...

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 f...

A total of 6564 individuals of 482 species of passerine birds were examined between the years 2004 and 2013 at various locations in central Europe, Africa, the Neotropical Region and Vietnam. A total of 663 birds (10.1%) of 141 species were parasitized with 3648 chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea (mean intensity was 5.5 lice per bird). Myrsidea was...

A total of 114 individuals of 14 wren species (Aves: Passeriformes: Troglodytidae) were examined. Nineteen birds (17 %) of six species were parasitised with 292 chewing lice (mean intensity = 15.4 lice per bird) belonging to three genera – Brueelia Kéler, 1936, Penenirmus Clay & Meinertzhagen, 1938 (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) and Myrsidea Waterston...

Three mite species of the genus Neharpyrhynchus (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) were recorded on wild birds represented by new hosts in Paraguay: Neharpyrhynchus trochilinus ex Chlorostilbon lucidus (=aureoventris) (Apodiformes: Trochilidae), Neharpyrhynchus tangara ex Paroaria capitata and P. coronata (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), and Neharpyrhynchu...

A total of 114 individuals of 14 wren species (Ayes: Passeriformes: Troglodytidae) were examined. Nineteen birds (17 %) of six species were parasitised with 292 chewing lice (mean intensity = 15.4 lice per bird) belonging to three genera - Brueelia Keler, 1936, Penenirmus Clay & Meinertzhagen, 1938 (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) and Myrsidea Waterston...

Until now, four species of the eye trematodes have been found in South America. Of them, Philophthalmus lucipetus (synonymized with P. gralli) displays a broad host spectrum, with at least 30 bird species (prevalently large water birds), five mammal species and humans serving as definitive hosts, and with snails Fagotia (Microcolpia) acicularis, Am...

A total of 166 individuals from 10 bird species belonging to the family Turdidae were examined for chewing lice in Costa Rica during 2004, 2009 and 2010. A total of 12 species of the louse genus Myrsidea were collected from 54 birds, including four previously named, seven new undescribed species, and one identified as Myrsidea sp. Names, descriptio...

Androlaelaps fahrenholzi is a common, cosmopolitan mite constituting a species complex. This mite is found in nests or on mammal hosts and occasionally on birds. The specific host association between A. fahrenholzi-like mites and Premnoplex brunnescens in Costa Rica is reported here. Adults (females and males), deutonymphs and protonymphs were foun...

A total of 1878 birds of 217 species were examined for the presence of fleas in Costa Rica during 2004, 2009, and 2010. Altogether 58 specimens of fleas belonging to four species of the family Ceratophyllidae were collected from 43 individuals of 27 bird species. The fleas Dasypsyllus (Dasypsyllus) gallinulae perpinnatus (Baker 1905), which were th...

The central European lineage of Usutu virus was isolated from a blackbird (Turdus merula), which was found dead in the city of Brno, Czech Republic, in 2011. The virus RNA was detected in two other dead blackbirds in Brno during 2012.

Thirteen species of chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) were found on 46 wild passerines of 10 species in Cuc Phuong National Park in northern Vietnam. Three new species of the genera Myrsidea and Brueelia are described; they and their type hosts are: Myrsidea annae ex Schoeniparus rufogularis (Mandelli, 1873), Brueelia hrabali ex Macronous gulari...

Two new genera and nine new species of the feather mite subamily Pterodectinae (Proctophyllodidae) are described from passerines and woodpeckers in Vietnam: Dolichodectes furcilobus sp. n. from Copsychus malabaricus (Scopoli) (Muscicapidae), Montesauria abroscopi sp. n. from Abroscopus superciliaris (Blyth) (Cettiidae), M. macronoi sp. n. from Macr...

In total, 142 birds, mostly passerines, belonging to 42 species were examined for the presence of ticks in 3 locations in Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil during 2006. Seven birds (5%) were infested with 4 nymphs of Amblyomma calcaratum (Ramphocelus carbo, 3 infested/12 examined) and 5 larvae of Amblyomma sp. (Furnarius rufus, 2/5; Turdus leucomelas, 1/6;...

Amazonian birds were caught and examined for the presence of ectoparasites in the Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve near Iquitos, Peru, from 13 to 16 August 2011. A total of 40 birds representing 16 species were examined. Two birds (5%) were infested with 2 larvae of Amblyomma varium Koch, 1844, and one nymph of A. calcaratum Neumann, 1899. The 2...

Seven species of chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) were found on five species of bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) in northern Vietnam. Three new species of the genera Brueelia and Philopteroides are described; they and their type hosts are: Brueelia flavala ex Hemixos flavala Blyth, 1845 B. cucphuongensis ex Pycnonotus finlaysoni Strickland...

A total of 170 wild birds from Senegal, belonging to 48 species and 9 orders, were searched for lice in 2005 and 2007. Chewing lice were found on 58 birds of 18 species and 5 orders (Columbiformes, Cuculiformes, Coraciiformes, Galliformes and Passeriformes). Twenty-two species of chewing lice of 13 genera were determined. Other nine samples of chew...

Two mite species of the genus Neharpyrhynchus (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) were recorded on wild birds in Peru: Neharpyrhynchus trochilinus ex Amazilia lactea and A. chionogaster (both Apodiformes: Trochilidae) and Neharpyrhynchus tangara ex Thraupis episcopus (Passeriformers: Thraupidae). Records from A. chionogaster and T. episcopus represent n...

Although there are many studies focused on various aspects of bird vocalizations, most species are data deficient concerning detailed information on their diel, seasonal and annual patterns of vocal activity. In many species, we still do not know when they show distinct peaks of vocal activity and, on the other hand, when birds cease singing within...

Two mite species of the genus Neharpyrhynchus (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) were recorded on wild birds in Peru: Neharpyrhynchus trochilinus ex Amazilia lactea and A. chionogaster (both Apodiformes: Trochilidae) and Neharpyrhynchus tangara ex Thraupis episcopus (Passeriformers: Thraupidae). Records from A. chionogaster and T. episcopus represent n...

Four new species of chewing lice of the genus Myrsidea parasitic on members of the avian family Parulidae are described. They and their type hosts are: Myrsidea basileuteri ex Basileuterus rufifrons, M. myiobori ex Myioborus miniatus, M. paleno ex Parkesia motacilla and M. zeledoni ex Phaeothlypis fulvicauda. Records of undescribed Myrsidea represe...

A new mite, Lasioseius senegalensis n. sp. (Acari, Gamasina, Blattisociidae), is described. Lasioseius senegalensis n. sp. was found in Senegal on flowers of mistletoe Englerina lecardii (Engl.) Balle and on beaks of Scarlet-chested sunbirds Chalcomitra senegalensis (L. 1766) searching for food in the flowers of E. lecardii. L. senegalensis n. sp....

An adult Collyriclum faba was found in a cutaneous cyst at the base of the lower mandible in a blue-gray tanager (Thraupis episcopus, Thraupidae) examined in the Zona Protectora Las Tablas, Costa Rica on 18 August 2010. A total of 1878 birds belonging to 217 species were examined in the country during 2004, 2009, and 2010. C. faba was found for the...

A total of 376 individuals of 35 bird species belonging to the families Cardinalidae, Emberizidae, Fringillidae, and T raupidae were examined for chewing lice in Costa Rica in 2004, 2009 and 2010. A total of 128 birds of 19 species were parasitised with 17 species of Myrsidea. Descriptions and illustrations are given for four new species of Myrside...

A new feather mite species, Picalgoides giganteus n. sp. (Psoroptoididae: Pandalurinae), is described from the tawny-throated leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus Sclater (Passeriformes: Furnariidae) in Costa Rica. Among the 10 species of Picalgoides Černý, 1974, including the new one, this is the third recorded from a passerine host; the remaining seven...

Discrimination of foreign eggs is one of the most studied aspects of host defences against avian brood parasites. Although many factors affecting host egg-recognition processes have already been evaluated, only a few attempts have been made to test the importance of light conditions in microhabitats of host nests. Here, we examined whether the obje...

A description and illustrations are given for Myrsidea povedai n. sp. from the black-and-yellow silky-flycatcher Phainoptila melanoxantha. The female of M. povedai is distinguished from those of other species of Myrsidea from Costa Rican passerine hosts by a unique combination of the following characteristics: (1) well-developed hypopharynx, (2) we...

Descriptions and illustrations are given for three new species of the genus Brueelia Keler from estrildid finches (Estrildidae) from Senegal. They and their type hosts are: B. fasciata from Amadina fasciata, B. senegala from Lagonosticta senegala and B. cantans from Euodice cantans. Records of three other louse species of the genus Myrsidea Waterst...

Four new species of the feather mite subfamily Pterodectinae (Proctophyllodidae) are described from passerine birds examined in Senegal: Dolichodectes gymnoris sp. nov. from the Russet-browed Bush-sparrow Gymnoris dentata (Sundevall, 1850) (Passeridae), Montesauria plocei sp. nov. from the Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus (Muller, 1776) (Ploceidae...

Previous studies have shown that Eurasian Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) are able to distinguish the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) from other intruders at the nest and that mobbing is an effective defense measure against brood parasitism. Here we studied the nest-defense behavior of Eurasian Reed Warblers facing four successive exposures...

One hundred and six individuals of red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) in Senegal. Chewing lice were found on 91 (86 %) birds examined. Three species of chewing lice were identified; they had the following prevalences and mean intensities: Brueelia queleae n. sp. (81 %; 5.3 lice), M...

One hundred and seventy individuals of five species of manakins (Passeriformes: Pipridae) were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera) in Costa Rica. Six species of chewing lice were identified. Chewing lice or their eggs were found on 26% individuals (28 positive/109 examined) of Long-tailed Manakins (Chiroxiphia linearis), the most numerous mana...

We studied blood parasites in wild birds within Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve and Barbilla National Park in Costa Rica during the rainy season of 2004. We examined blood samples from 248 and 114 birds, respectively. Protozoan parasites of the genus Haemoproteus as well as microfilariae were found. Prevalence of Haemoproteus in birds was 0.8% and...

This paper presents the first record of three chewing lice species of the genus Myrsidea collected from one emberizid and two thraupid hosts in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Morphological characters of M. seminuda are added for the last redescription of this species and a new key to males of 'bonariensis species group' is presented.

Four eggs in a Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) nest were incubated for one day by a female Yellowhammer but subsequently abandoned. The day following abandonment, the nest and the clutch were adopted by a female Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) who incubated the eggs until a single Yellowhammer nestling hatched; two eggs were depredated, and the em...

Four new species of the genus Pterodectes Robin, 1877 and three new monotypic genera of the feather mite subfamily Pterodectinae (Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) are described from various passerines captured in Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil). The following new species are described: Pterodectes paroariae sp. n. from Paroaria capitata (Orbigney et Lafre...

A b s t r a c t. Mean annual first arrival dates (FAD) of 45 migratory bird species recorded in Moravia (Czech Republic, c. 49º N) in 109 spring seasons between 1881 and 2007 were correlated with the preceding winter (December to March) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. The arrival of birds occurred significantly earlier following high NAO wi...

Descriptions and illustrations are given for two new species of Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 from cardinals and tanagers from Costa Rica. They and their type hosts are: Myrsidea poliogasteri ex Caryothraustes poliogaster ( Cardinalidae) and M. larvatae ex Tangara larvata ( Thraupidae). The male of Myrsidea mitrospingi is also described. New host record...

Eleven species of hummingbird flower mites of the genera Proctolaelaps Berlese, 1923, Tropicoseius Baker & Yunker, 1964 and Rhinoseius Baker & Yunker, 1964 were recorded from hummingbirds in Costa Rica. Three new species of the genus Proctolaelaps are described and figured, i.e. P. threnetes Dusbabek & Literak, sp. nov., P. naskreckii Dusbabek & Ha...

Eleven species of hummingbird flower mites of the genera Proctolaelaps Berlese, 1923, Tropicoseius Baker & Yunker, 1964 and Rhinoseius Baker & Yunker, 1964 were recorded from hummingbirds in Costa Rica. Three new species of the genus Proctolaelaps are described and figured, i.e. P. threnetes Dusbabek & Literak, sp. nov., P. naskreckii Dusbabek & Ha...

Three new species of chigger mites, Eutrombicula costaricensis sp. n., Eutrombicula passerinoruni sp. n., and Eutrombicula hectochaeta sp. n. are described from wild birds from Costa Rica. Two species, Eutrombicula pacae (Floch et Fauran, 1957) and Parasecia findata (Brennan, 1969), are recorded for the first time in Costa Rica and on new host spec...

A new species, Neharpyrhynchus baile Bochkov & Literak, n. sp. (Prostigmata: Harpirhynchidae), from Turdus leucomelas Vieillot, 1818 (Aves: Turdidae) is described from Brazil. Illustrations are given.

Descriptions and illustrations are given for one new species of Rallicola Johnston and Har- rison, 1911 and three new species of Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 from ovenbirds, leaftossers, and woodcreepers from Costa Rica. These chewing lice and their type hosts are as follows: Rallicola (Rallicola) ochrolaemi and Myrsidea ochrolaemi ex Automolus ochrola...

Three species of the genus Pellonyssus Clark and Yunker, 1956 are reported from Costa Rican birds: Pellonyssus gorgasi Yunker and Radovsky 1966 from Threnetes ruckeri (Bourcier) (Trochilidae); Pellonyssus marui Yunker and Radovsky, 1966 from Manacus candei (Parzudaki) (Pipridae); and Pellonyssus cyanoides Dusbabek and Literak n. sp. from Cyanocomps...

Descriptions and illustrations are given for one new species of Formicaphagus Carriker, 1957 and two new species of Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 from typical antbirds and ground antbirds from Costa Rica. They and their type hosts are: Formicaphagus tyrannina ex Cercomacra tyrannina (Thamnophilidae), Myrsidea mcleannani ex Phaenostictus mcleannani (Tham...

Descriptions and illustrations are given for one new species of Formicaphagus Carriker, 1957 and two new species of Myrsidea Waterston, 1915 from typical antbirds and ground antbirds from Costa Rica. They and their type hosts are: Formicaphagus tyrannina ex Cercomacra tyrannina (Thamnophilidae), Myrsidea mcleannani ex Phaenostictus mcleannani (Tham...

Seasonal and diel patterns of singing activity of Savis warblers (Locustella luscinioides) were studied in two areas of Central Europe 300km apart, over a period of 18years. We assess about 4,600 records of individuals singing. Males were found to exhibit similar singing activity in both study sites. They started to sing after arrival at the beginn...

Capsule Reed Warblers in a regularly parasitized population do not recognize Cuckoo Cuculus canorus as a special enemy and do not change their behaviour at nest immediately after being parasitized. Aims To assess if an intruder near the nest influences the behaviour of the Cuckoo host. Methods Host responses to Cuckoo, control Pigeon dummies and hu...

Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla reject artificial cuckoo eggs, and their eggs vary little in appearance within clutches, whereas among clutches eggs vary considerably. Low variation within clutches facilitates discrimination of parasitic eggs, whereas high variation among clutches makes it harder for the cuckoo to mimic the eggs of a certain host spec...

We examined seasonal and diel singing activity budgets of great reed warblers in two areas of Central Europe in three different ways, over a period often consecutive years. Song was recorded from 12 April to 3 August. Males exhibited regular singing activity after arrival with a peak in the second half of May and beginning of June. Thereafter their...

Based on over 1,300 h of sampling, we studied diel and seasonal budgets of song activity of marsh warblers in three different ways. Two study areas in the Czech and Slovak Republics (300 km apart) and seasons in several consecutive years were covered. Song activity varied over the 24-h period and with season. Marsh warblers sang both during the ent...

Twenty-seven bird and nine small mammal species were found within a clearing of the Moravskoslezske Beskydy Mountains (Czech Republic) induced by air pollution. Of the breeding birds, meadow pipit Anthus pratensis showed the highest average density (117 pairs.km-2) and dominance (29.2%), whereas the values in other species ranged from 7 to 57 pairs...

Res. angl. - Lit.