Andre V. Bochkov

New Species and Records of Cheyletoid Mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea) from Birds in Canada

Abstract Four new species of cheyletoid mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea) are described from birds in Canada: Harpyrhynchoides vulgaris sp. nov. (Harpirhynchidae) from Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureus (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) and American Redstart, Setophaga ruticilla (Passeriformes: Parulidae); Syringophilopsis porzanae sp. nov. (Syringophilidae) from Sora, Porzana carolina (Gruiformes: Rallidae); Syringophilopsis tyrrani sp. nov. from Eastern Kingbird, Tyrranus tyrranus (Passeriformes: Tyrranidae); Niglarobia skorackii sp. nov. (Syringophilidae) from Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae). Harpyrhynchoides zumpti Fain, 1972 is recorded from Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis (Passeriformes: Emberizidae), for the first time. A key to species for females of the genus Syringophilopsis and a table of their associated hosts are provided.

Revision of the quill mites of the genus Picobia Haller, 1878 (Acari: Syringophilidae) with notes on their host-parasites relationships

The genus Picobia Haller (Acari: Syringophilidae) is revised. The species of this genus are permanent parasites living in quills of bird body feathers. In total 19 species are recognized. Four new species are described from passerine birds (Passeriformes): Picobia locustella sp. n. from Locustella naevia (Sylviidae), P. biarmicus sp. n. from Panurus biarmicus (Panuridae), P. sturni sp. n. from Sturnus vulgaris (Sturnidae) and P. cissa sp. n. from Cissa chinensis (Corvidae). Two species are redescribed: P. dryobatis (Fritsch) and P. zumpti (Lawrence). A neotype for P. dryobatis is designated. A new diagnosis for the genus Picobia and a key to females are provided. Parsimony analysis of the genus is conducted. Host-parasite relationships are briefly discussed.

Phylogeny and systematics of mammal-associated psoroptidian mites (Acariformes:Astigmata:Psoroptidia) derived from external morphology

We used morphological characters to explore the phylogeny of mammal-associated psoroptidian mites. In both maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses, the clades uniting Psoroptoidea and Analgoidea–Sarcoptoidea (higher Psoroptidia) were strongly supported, and monophyly of most sarcoptoid families was confirmed. However, the relationships among families of the higher Psoroptidia (Analgoidea and Sarcoptoidea) remained poorly resolved. Two most parsimonious trees were obtained after successive weighting. In these trees, higher Psoroptidia split into two main clusters with Sarcoptoidea in the traditional sense shown as diphyletic. Cluster I consists of two superfamilies: Analgoidea, including Dermationidae, and Psoroptoidea, stat. res.: Psoroptoidinae (Turbinoptidae–Paracoroptinae); (Pandalurinae (Pyroglyphidae–Lobalgidae); Paralgopsidae, stat. nov.–Ptyssalgidae (Epidermoptidae–Psoroptidae). Cluster II consists of the superfamily Sarcoptoidea represented by two lineages: Listropsoralgidae, stat. nov. (Myocoptidae (Rhyncoptidae–Sarcoptidae)) and Dromiciocoptidae, stat. nov. ((Listrophoridae–Atopomelidae) (Chirodiscidae (Gastronyssidae (Pneumocoptidae–Lemurnyssidae)))). We hypothesised that mites of the superfamilies Pterolichoidea, Analgoidea and Psoroptoidea have independently colonised birds with subsequent ancestral shifts of the families Lobalgidae and Psoroptidae and subfamily Paracoroptinae from birds to mammals. Mites of the superfamily Sarcoptoidea switched from nidicoly to parasitism on ancestors of therian mammals and evolved exclusively on this host group.

Phylogeny and host associations of the fur-mite subgenus Listrophoroides (sensu stricto) Hirst (Acari : Atopomelidae) with an intriguing example of synhospitality on rats of the genus Maxomys

Phylogenetic relationships among species of the parasitic mite subgenus Listrophoroides Hirst (Atopomelidae), fur-mites of Asian and African murine rodents, are reconstructed on the basis of parsimony analysis of morphological characters. This group is polyphyletic with respect to the outgroup, subgenera Marquesania Womersley and Paklistrophoroides Fain & Hyland. The mite phylogeny partially reflects the host phylogeny and several groups of closely related species associated with particular rodent groups are recognised. The rajah-group, with 34 species associated with rats of the genus Maxomys Sody, is most diverse. Most Maxomys species are parasitised by a single mite species but some of them harbour a complex of several species. Maxomys surifer (Miller), the most widespread species of the genus, hosts unique species combinations comprising 23 species in different parts of its range. This synhospitality is hypothesised to have originated during Pleistocene isolation of different host populations in multiple rain forest refugia. The current species complexes also reflect later host range expansions. These data are consistent with a hypothesis of Pliocene vicariance in some Sunda Shelf rodents and not with the traditional view of widespread migration across the Late Pleistocene Sunda Shelf. The rajah species-group is revised, 16 species are described as new and three are synonymised.

Neharpyrhynchus baile n. sp. (Prostigmata: Harpirhynchidae) parasitizing Turdus leucomelas Vieillot (Aves: Turdidae) from Brazil

Abstract 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.

Mites of the Subfamily Harpirhynchinae (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) from North American Birds

ABSTRACT Three new harpirhynchid species of the subfamily Harpirhynchinae (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) are described from North American birds: Harpyrhynchoides aegolius sp. n. from Aegolius acadicus (Strigiformes: Strigidae), Harpyrhynchoides accipiter sp. n. from Accipiter striatus (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), and Neharpyrhynchus icterus sp. n. from Icterus galbula (Passeriformes: Icteridae). Three species are recorded from new hosts from North America for the first time: Harpyrhynchoides tracheatus (Fritsch, 1954) from Buteo lineatus (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), Harpyrhynchoides pectinifer (Lawrence, 1959) from Colaptes auratus (Piciformes: Picidae), and Harpyrhynchoides rubeculinus (Černý & Sixl, 1971) from Catharus ustulatus (Passeriformes: Turdidae). Neharpyrhynchoides novoplumaris (Moss et al., 1968) previously recorded from Cardinalis cardinalis (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae) from the United States is recollected from this host.

A review of the European Harpirhynchidae (Acari, Prostigmata) with the description of a new species

Records of the European Harpirhynchidae Dubinin, 1957 (Acari, Prostigmata) are summarized and briefly discussed. This family is represented in Europe by 23 species belonging to three subfamilies, Harpirhynchinae (18 species recorded), Harpypalpinae Fain, 1972 (4 species recorded), and Ophioptinae Southcott, 1956 (1 species recorded). A new species Harpirhynchus dusbabeki sp. nov. from the bearded tit Panurus biarmicus (L., 1758) (Passeriformes, Timaliidae) in Slovakia is described. This new species differs morphologically from the two similar congeneric species, H. nidulans Nitzsch, 1818 and H. galeridae Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 1999, by having setae 3a and two setae on both genua I and II.

Phylogeny, taxonomy and biology of mites of the genera Chelacheles and Neochelacheles (Acari : Cheyletidae)

Taxonomic revision and parsimony-based phylogenetic analysis of species in two closely related genera of predaceous Cheyletidae, Chelacheles Baker and Neochelacheles Smiley & Williams, are conducted. Among species of these genera, C. algericus Fain & Bochkov, syn. nov. and C. humilis Rasool, Chaudhri & Akbar, syn. nov. are synonymised with C. strabismus Baker and C. bakeri Attiah, respectively. Six new species are described: C. aigamuxa , sp. nov.; C. klimovi , sp. nov.; C. seminole , sp. nov.; C. temoak , sp. nov.; N. corpuzrarosae , sp. nov.; and N. mendicus , sp. nov. The genus Chelacheles includes two species-groups, strabismus (seven species) and peritremaculatus (seven species), and two ungrouped species, C. michalskii Samsinak and C. stigmaeoides Barilo. The genus Neochelacheles (three species) is represented by a single species from North America and by two Philippine endemics. New diagnoses of the genera are given as well as descriptions of postembryonic stages of a model species in each genus, a key, and redescriptions for most species. The biology of these mites is briefly discussed. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the associations of some species with polypore bracket fungi have arisen independently in the genera Chelacheles and Neochelacheles .

Mites of the Genus Trichorhynchiella (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae): A New Example of Ovoviviparity in Acariform Mites

ABSTRACT The small genus Trichorhynchiella Fain, 1995, including two species of permanent bird ectoparasites belonging to the family Harpirhynchidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea), is revised. The generic diagnosis is emended. The type species, Trichorhynchiella paddae Fain, 1995 from Lonchura oryzivora (L., 1758) (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) from Southeast Asia and Trichorhynchiella phleocryptes sp. n. from Phleocryptes melanops (Viellot, 1817) (Passeriformes: Furnariidae) from Argentina are redescribed and described, respectively. The phenomenon of ovoviviparity inherent to females of this genus is briefly discussed. In almost immobile physogastric females of Trichorhynchiella, ovoviviparity eliminates necessity to attach eggs to the host body.

New records and new species of mites of the subfamily Harpirhynchinae (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) infesting birds in Manitoba, Canada

Five new species and one new genus of the subfamily Harpirhynchinae (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) are described from birds in Canada: Harpyrhynchoides heatherae sp. nov. from Junco hyemalis (Passeriformes: Emberizidae), H. botaurus sp. nov. from Botaurus lentiginosus (Pelecaniformes: Ardeidae), H. phalaropus sp. nov. from Phalaropus lobatus (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae), Neharpyrhynchus loxia sp. nov. from Loxia curvirostra (Passeriformes: Fringillidae), and Fainharpirhynchus contopus gen. nov., sp. nov. from Contopus cooperi (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae). Additionally, 3 species were recorded in Canada (Manitoba) for the first time: Harpyrhynchoides tracheatus (Fritsch, 1954) from Buteo jamaicensis (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (new host), H. modestus (Fain, 1976) from Columba livia (Columbiformes: Columbidae) (new host), and Neharpyrhynchus pilirostris (Berlese et Trouessart, 1889) from Passer domesticus (Passeriformes: Passeridae).