Serge V. Mironov

Origin and evolution of feather mites (Astigmata)

Feather mites are highly specialized plumage and skin ectoparasites that are variously adapted for inhabiting certain microhabitats on a birds body. Different feather mite taxa of higher (familial) rank adapted to the same microhabitats display similar main morphological adaptations even if they are rather distantly related to one another. Hypotheses on the evolution of general adaptations in morphology of feather mites during colonization and establishment in different microhabitats are presented. According to recent data, feather mites are a paraphyletic group consisting of three superfamilies: Analgoidea, Pterolichoidea and Freyanoidea. We present our view on the general feather mite phylogeny course at the familial rank for the Analgoidea by means of cladistic analysis. Co-speciation of parasites with their hosts is postulated as a main factor driving feather mite evolution. Examples are given of non-coevolutionary events, for example recolonization from one host species onto another, extinction and multiple speciation.

Six new feather mite species (Acari: Astigmata) from the carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae), an extinct parrot of North America

We describe six new feather mite species collected from museum skins of the carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis Linnaeus, 1758, which lived in North America and became extinct at the beginning of the 20th century: Genoprotolichus simplex sp. n., Lopharalichus beckeri sp. n., Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n. (Pterolichidae: Pterolichinae), Chiasmalges carolinensis sp. n. (Psoroptoididae: Pandalurinae), Fainalges gracilitarsus sp. n., and Protonyssus proctorae sp. n. (Xolalgidae: Ingrassiinae). Brief comments on the current systematic state and host associations of these feather mite genera are provided.

Five new species of the feather mite genus Pteroherpus Gaud (Anal-Goidea: Avenzoariidae) from passerine birds of Vietnam

ABSTRACT Five new species of the genus Pteroherpus Gaud, 1981 are described from different passerine birds of Vietnam: Pteroherpus krivolutskii n.sp. from Stachyris nigriceps Blyth, P. zosteropis n.sp. from Zosterops japonica Temminck, P. dentilobus n.sp. from Timalia pileata Horsfield, P. pycnonoti n.sp from Pycnonotus sinensis (Gmelin), and P. orthotomi n.sp. from Orthotomus sutorius (Pennant).

A New Species of the Genus Proctophyllodes (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae) from Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti (Passeriformes: Sylviidae) with DNA Barcode Data

Abstract. A new feather mites species, Proctophyllodes cetti sp. nov., is described from Cettis warbler, Cettia cetti (Temminck, 1820) (Sylviidae) from Kazakhstan. The standard morphological description is supplemented by cytochrome subunit oxidase I sequence data (DNA barcode).

Systematic revision of the feather mite genera Apexolichus Gaud et Atyeo and Titanolichus Gaud et Atyeo (Astigmata, Pterolichidae), parasites of parrots of the Old World (Psittaciformes, Psittacidae)

We present a systematic revision and phylogenetic analysis of feather mites of the closely related genera Apexolichus Gaud et Atyeo, 1996 and Titanolichus Gaud et Atyeo, 1996 (Pterolichidae, Pterolichinae). New diagnoses for Apexolichus and Titanolichus and keys to all known species are provided. We redescribe all species of the genus Protolichus Mégnin et Trouessart, 1884, described by E. Trouessart over a century ago, and which have been transferred to these genera. Two new species are described: Apexolichus psephoti sp. nov. from Psephotus varius Clark A.H., 1910 (type host) and P. haematonotus (Gould, 1838); and Titanolichus triangulifer sp. nov. from Barnardius zonaris (Shaw, 1805) (type host) and Northiella haematogaster (Gould, 1838). New synonymies are proposed: Apexolichus splendens (Favette et Trouessart, 1904) syn. nov. is a junior synonym of A. velifer (Trouessart, 1899); A. distensis (Favette et Trouessart, 1904) syn. nov. is a junior synonym of A. affinis (Mégnin et Trouessart, 1884). Apexolichus platycerci (Mironov, Dabert et Proctor, 2003) comb. nov. is a new combination for this species, which was formerly placed in the genus Titanolichus. Phylogenetic analysis (MP) confirms the monophyly of the genera Apexolichus and Titanolichus. Both of these genera, together with the monotypic genus Sideroferus Gaud et Atyeo, 1996 (being a sister group of Titanolichus), form a clade within the Protolichus generic group and are restricted in their host associations to parrots of the tribe Platycercini (Psittacidae, Psittacinae), members of which occur in the Australia and Indo-Malayan region. Representatives of each genus are restricted to a particular genus or a few genera of Platycercini. Host associations of these genera are briefly discussed.

New feather mite taxa of the Rhytidelasma Gaud, 1966 generic group (Astigmata: Pterolichidae) from the red-flanked lorikeet Charmosyna placentis placentis (Psittacidae)

Two new genera and species related to Rhytidelasma Gaud, 1966 and Lorilichus Atyeo & Gaud, 1991 are described from the plumage of the red-flanked Lorikeet Charmosyna placentis placentis (Temminck) (Psittacidae). These are Ceratolichus mirabilis n. g., n. sp. and Charmosylichus anamphiestos n. g., n. sp. In addition, an improved diagnosis of Lorilichus is proposed and two new species of this genus are described from the red-flanked lorikeet, L. longiphallos n. sp. and L. paralobiger n. sp.

Micropsittophagus n. gen., a new feather mite genus (Astigmata: Pterolichidae) from the green pygmy parrot, Micropsitta finschi (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae)

Abstract A new feather mite, Micropsittophagus atyeoi n. gen., n. sp., belonging to the Psittophagus generic group of the subfamily Pterolichinae (Pterolichoidea: Pterolichidae), is described from the green pygmy parrot, Micropsitta finschi (Ramsay, 1881) (Psittacidae: Psittacinae). This is the first description of a pterolichine from pygmy parrots, the tribe Micropsittini. In comparison to other known genera of the Psittophagus group (Nymphicilichus, Psittaculobius and Psittophagus) the new genus is characterized by several archaic features. In both sexes of the genus Micropsittophagus, the internal vertical setae are present; in the females, the pair of subtegumental sclerotized structures in the sejugal region is rudimentary and the pair in the opisthosomal region is absent.

Three new species of the feather mite genus Bychovskiata (Analgoidea: Avenzoariidae) from exotic Plovers (Charadriiformes)

Abstract Three new species of the feather mite genus Bychovskiata (Avenzoariidae) are described from three exotic plover species (Charadriiformes: Charadrii): Bychovskiata thinomi sp.n. from the Shore Plover Thinornis novaeseelandiae (Charadriidae), B. phegorni sp.n. from the Diademed Sandpiper-plover Phegornis mitchellii (Charadriidae), B. tibetana sp.n. from the Ibis-bill Ibidorhynchus struthersii (Ibidorhynchidae).