Feather mites

Feather mites are one of the most important symbionts of birds, living on the feather, inside the quill, and in and on the skin. Approximately 2500 mite species from two superfamilies, Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea, have been described. Here, the feather mite fauna of 196 individuals of 42 bird species from the Kızılırmak delta, Turkey, was investigated. We detected a total of 30 feather mite species belonging to 14 genera and 9 families: Alloptes aythinae (Alloptidae);

Ten passerine species were examined on three islands of the Azores (North Atlantic) during 2013 and 2014 in order to identify their feather mite assemblages. We recorded 19 feather mite species belonging to four families of the superfamily Analgoidea (Analgidae, Proctophyllodidae, Psoroptoididae and Trouessartiidae). A high prevalence of feather mite species was recorded on the majority of the examined host species. Only three passerine species (Sylvia atricapilla, Regulus regulus and Serinus canaria) presented the same full complex of mite species as commonly occurs in the plumage of their closest relatives in continental Europe. Passer domesticus presented the same limited fauna of feather mites living in the plumage as do its co-specifics in continental Europe. Carduelis carduelis bears the same feather mite species as do most of its continental populations in Europe, but it lacks one mite species occurring on this host in Egypt. Turdus merula, Pyrrhula murina and Fringilla coele...

Ectoparasite fauna of Falco vespertinus breeding colonies was investigated in a system of artificial nests in the Po valley (Parma province), Italy, during four subsequent breeding seasons (2019–2022). Conservation actions regarding Falco vespertinus led to a great increase in its presence in the area. This rise was believed to coincide with an increase in the prevalence of hematophagous ectoparasites breeding in the nests, with a potential negative impact on the attractiveness of the breeding site. Ectoparasites collected from the nestlings’ bodies almost entirely belonged to a single species, Diptera Carnus hemapterus, with a quite variable prevalence in different years. Maximum ectoparasite load was consistently linked to younger than two weeks old chicks. Carnus hemapterus may pose a threat to less resilient specimens of Falco vespertinus because it feeds on live tissues, increases metabolic expenditure, and can introduce blood parasites. Nonetheless, this species is part of the ecosystem shared with the falcon and might have a conservational value itself. We propose that higher occurrence of this ectoparasite might be linked to diet parameters, especially the availability of small mammals and the lingering of prey remnants in the nests, as well as to the age of the parasitized nestlings. These findings might have important implications for the conservation of this rare Falco species.

Symbionts are key elements of ecosystems, by playing important roles in shaping the biology and ecology of their hosts. However, the factors determining symbiont loads across host species are still unclear. Nowadays, we know that the intensity and prevalence of feather mites, the most diverse group of avian ectosymbionts, differ strongly between species. To understand those differences, we studied 17 bird species traits and two feather mite community features (species richness and composition in bird species) potentially related to interspecific differences in feather mite intensity and prevalence across bird species. We analyzed a large dataset of feather mite occurrence across European passerines: for feather mite intensity a sample of 27 424 birds from 119 bird species, and 1 805 566 feather mites counted, and for prevalence a sample of 76 126 birds from 122 bird species. Feather mite intensity and prevalence covaried positively across bird species, reinforcing the previous observation that species differ in feather mite load. Comparative analyses of the association of bird traits and feather mite richness with feather mite intensity or prevalence showed a moderate explanatory power, high model selection uncertainty, inconsistent results for both prevalence and intensity data, and contrasting results with previous comparative studies on feather mite occurrence. Furthermore, even though closely related bird species had similar feather mite communities, there was a low evolutionary conservatism of both the prevalence and intensity of feather mites across bird species (i.e. low phylogenetic signal). Finally, feather mite community composition did not explain feather mite intensity or prevalence across bird species. Overall, our large number of host and mite traits failed to satisfactorily explain the high variability in feather mite occurrence across bird species. We discuss that this difficult-to-understand apparent idiosyncrasy of bird species in their feather mite intensity and prevalence may be the outcome of the interaction between host and symbiont traits.

1. Comprehending symbiont abundance among host species is a major ecological endeavour, and the metabolic theory of ecology has been proposed to understand what constrains symbiont populations.
2. We parameterized metabolic theory equations to investigate how bird species' body size and the body size of their feather mites relate to mite abundance according to four potential energy (uropygial gland size) and space constraints (wing area, total length of barbs and number of feather barbs). Predictions were compared with the empirical scaling of feather mite abundance across 106 passerine bird species (26,604 individual birds sampled), using phylogenetic modelling and quantile regression.
3. Feather mite abundance was strongly constrained by host space (number of feather barbs) but not by energy. Moreover, feather mite species' body size was unrelated to the body size of their host species.
4. We discuss the implications of our results for our understanding of the bird–feather mite system and for symbiont abundance in general.

Feather mites (Astigmata: Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea) are external symbionts that inhabit the feathers and skin of avian hosts. Studies on detecting feather mite fauna of avian hosts in Türkiye have increased in recent years, but they are still not at the desired level. The material of this study consists of feather mite specimens collected from the wing and tail feathers of an Eurasian coot (Fulica atra) cadaver that was found dead in a natural area and subjected to ectoparasitic examination. As a result of detailed microscopic examination carried out in the light of the keys and illustrations in the relevant literature, the mite specimens were identifi ed as Grallobia fulicae (Trouessart, 1885) and Grallolichus proctogamus (Trouessart, 1885). Both species are new records for the feather mite fauna of Türkiye.

The feather mite species, Zachvatkinia puffini (Buchholz, 1869) (Acariformes: Avenzoariidae), the type species of the genus Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, is redescribed based on specimens collected from its type host, the Grey Petrel Procellaria cinerea Gmelin, 1789 (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae). Zachvatkinia robusta Mironov, 1991 syn. n. from P. aequinoctialis Linnaeus, 1758 is synonymized with Z. puffini.

Feather mites (Astigmata: Analgoidea, Pterolichoidea) are arthropods that live parasitically or commensal on the wing, tail and body feathers of birds. These mites have high host specificity and diversity. Here we studied feather mites collected from birds subjected to ectoparasitic examination during ringing at the Boğazkent Bird Ringing Station (Antalya, Türkiye). Feather mite infestation was detected in 50 of 103 hosts representing 30 species during the study. As a result of microscopic examinations, 16 feather mites were identified, five of which are new records for Türkiye:

Feather mites are the most abundant arthropods found on birds, however, few studies have investigated their ecological associations with their hosts in Brazil. Here, we present a checklist of feather mites on 11 bird species from forest patches of Paraná State, Brazil. We recovered 16 species of feather mites belonging to two astigmatan families, namely Proctophyllodidae and Trouessartiidae. No visible external injuries were observed in the birds which could be related to the presence of these mites on their feathers. We report for first time five feather mite species from Paraná State. The present checklist expands the geographical range for five mite species, with one recorded for the first time in Brazil. Moreover, we have collected two potential new species of the genera Amerodectes and Trouessartia and recorded new bird hosts for three mite species.

Rhinozachvatkinia calonectris sp. n., a new species of the feather mite genus Rhinozachvatkinia Mironov, 1989 (Avenzoariidae: Bonnetellinae), is described from two species of shearwaters in the NorthEast of the Atlantic ocean, Calonectris edwardsii (oustalet) (type host) and Calonectris borealis (cory) (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae). We completed the morphological description of this new feather mite species with sequence data on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit i gene fragment (coi). the full generic status of Rhinozachvatkinia, originally established as a subgenus of Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, is formally fixed and its systematic relationships are briefly discussed.

Parasites and other symbionts are crucial components of ecosystems, regulating host populations and supporting food webs. However, most symbiont systems, especially those involving commensals and mutualists, are relatively poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the nature of the symbiotic relationship between birds and their most abundant and diverse ectosymbionts: the vane-dwelling feather mites. For this purpose, we studied the diet of feather mites using two complementary methods. First, we used light microscopy to examine the gut contents of 1,300 individual feather mites representing 100 mite genera (18 families) from 190 bird species belonging to 72 families and 19 orders. Second, we used high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and DNA metabarcoding to determine gut contents from 1,833 individual mites of 18 species inhabiting 18 bird species. Results showed fungi and potentially bacteria as the main food resources for feather mites (apart from potential bird uropygial gland oil). Diatoms and plant matter appeared as rare food resources for feather mites. Importantly, we did not find any evidence of feather mites feeding upon bird resources (e.g., blood, skin) other than potentially uropygial gland oil. In addition, we found a high prevalence of both keratinophilic and pathogenic fungal taxa in the feather mite species examined. Altogether, our results shed light on the long-standing question of the nature of the relationship between birds and their vane-dwelling feather mites, supporting previous evidence for a commensalistic-mutualistic role of feather mites, which are revealed as likely fungivore-microbivore-detritivore symbionts of bird feathers.

The definition of the mite genus Acalvolia is revised. A new species, Acalvolia americana, with conidia of Cladosporium sp. in its gut, intercepted on orange from the United States is described. Currently the genus consists of only one species, and the new species is distinguished from that species by having smooth supracoxal setae, longer setae sci (ratio sce: sci = 2.5-2.7), and longer dorsal idiosomal setae c 1 , d 1 and e 1 (reaching to or overlapping the bases of setae in the next row).

A new nasal mite species, Larinyssus iohanssenae n. sp. (Mesostigmata: Rhinonyssidae), is described on the basis of the material obtained from the Common Tern Sterna hirundo Linnaeus (Charadriiformes: Sternidae) collected in Leningrad province, Russia. Larinyssus iohanssenae n. sp. is distinguished from closely related species Larinyssus substerna Butenko, 1975 by the absence of dorsal shields or shieldlets on idiosoma, the absence of sternal shield, and the presence of the narrow genital shield which is approximately four times longer than its width.

Background: Faunistic information about feather mites in Egypt is scarce, as well as in the Middle East region. Results: Gabucinia delibata (Robin, 1877) (Astigmata: Pterolichoidea: Gabuciniidae) is recorded for the first time in Egypt from the hooded crow, Corvus cornix (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Corvidae). Adult males and females of G. delibata are redescribed and illustrated. Examined specimens were compared with previous description and anomalous features were discussed. Conclusion: The new mite record reported here provides descriptive information for future taxonomic research of feather mites in Egypt. Hopefully, the present work would encourage more comprehensive surveys in the Middle East region since a large number of undiscovered species is expected.

Background: Faunistic information about feather mites in Egypt is scarce, as well as in the Middle East region. Results: Gabucinia delibata (Robin, 1877) (Astigmata: Pterolichoidea: Gabuciniidae) is recorded for the first time in Egypt from the hooded crow, Corvus cornix (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Corvidae). Adult males and females of G. delibata are redescribed and illustrated. Examined specimens were compared with previous description and anomalous features were discussed. Conclusion: The new mite record reported here provides descriptive information for future taxonomic research of feather mites in Egypt. Hopefully, the present work would encourage more comprehensive surveys in the Middle East region since a large number of undiscovered species is expected.

A single individual of feather mite Alloptes (Conuralloptes) calidridis Dubinin, 1951 is reported from the covert feathers of a juvenile Dunlin Calidris alpina Linnaeus, 1758. A redescription of a male of this mite is given. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of Alloptes (C.) calidridis in a wild bird from Portugal, expanding the geographical distribution range of this ectoparasite to Western Europe.

Ten passerine species were examined on three islands of the Azores (North Atlantic) during 2013 and 2014 in order to identify their feather mite assemblages. We recorded 19 feather mite species belonging to four families of the superfamily Analgoidea (Analgidae, Proctophyllodidae, Psoroptoididae and Trouessartiidae). A high prevalence of feather mite species was recorded on the majority of the examined host species. Only three passerine species (Sylvia atricapilla, Regulus regulus and Serinus canaria) presented the same full complex of mite species as commonly occurs in the plumage of their closest relatives in continental Europe. Passer domesticus presented the same limited fauna of feather mites living in the plumage as do its co-specifics in continental Europe. Carduelis carduelis bears the same feather mite species as do most of its continental populations in Europe, but it lacks one mite species occurring on this host in Egypt. Turdus merula, Pyrrhula murina and Fringilla coele...

Feather mites of the family Avenzoariidae (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea) are recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia. A new avenzoariid species, Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) repressae sp. n. (Avenzoariidae: Bonnetellinae), is described from the White-cheeked Tern, Sterna repressa Hartert, 1916 (Charadriiformes: Sternidae). The new species belongs to the sternae group and is closely related to Z. (Z.) chlidoniae Mironov, 1989a. Two more species, Z. (Z.) dromae Mironov, 1992 and Z. (Z.) sternae (Canestrini & Fanzago, 1876), were collected from the Crab Plover Dromas ardeola Paykull, 1805 (Charadriiformes: Dromadidae) and the Sooty Gull Ichthyaetus hemprichii (Bruch, 1853) (Charadriiformes: Laridae), respectively. Among the 18 described species of Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, including the new species, this is the fifth species recorded from a sternid host. The remaining 13 nominal species are associated with birds of the families Diomedeidae, Dromadidae, Hydrobatidae, Laridae, Pelecanoididae, Procellariidae and Stercorariidae. A checklist of world species of Zachvatkinia with data on their distribution and type hosts is also provided.

Feather mites (Astigmata: Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea) are obligate parasitic or commensal ectosymbionts permanently living on birds and characterized by a high host specificity. All these mites can be referred to four morphoecological groups based on microhabitats occupied on hosts and morphological adaptations to them: wing and tail feather mites, contour and downy feather mites, quill mites, and skin mites. To date, over 2500 species of feather mites have been described. Although Turkey has a rich ornithofauna with nearly 500 resident and migratory species, a limited number of studies of feather mites have been conducted so far and reported only 42 species. In our opinion, a relatively limited knowledge of feather mite diversity in Turkey can be explained by insufficient attention to this group of mites, because these mites do not cause serious health problems on the host compared to other parasitic groups, difficulties in field and laboratory studies of them, and lack of collaboration between researchers. Birds specimens representing five species, found dead during ornithological studies in natural areas in the Samsun province, were examined in the Parasitology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University (Samsun, Turkey). The examination has shown that these avian hosts were infested with feather mites: the Eurasian blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758)-by Proctophyllodes stylifer (Proctophyllodidae), European Robin Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758)-by P. rubeculinus (Proctophyllodidae), Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus-by Ptiloxenus major (Ptiloxenidae), Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus (Linnaeus, 1758)-by Hieracolichus ramosus (Gabuciniidae), Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis (J. F. Naumann, 1840)-by Alloptes obtusolobus (Alloptidae) and Zachvatkinia larica (Avenzoariidae), and Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs (Linnaeus, 1758)-by Analges passerines (Analgidae), Monojoubertia microphylla (Proctophyllodidae) and Pteronyssoides striatus (Pteronyssidae). Among nine mite species detected in the present study, Alloptes obtusolobus, Hieracolichus ramosus and Zachvatkinia larica, are reported first time in Turkey.

I describe and illustrate three new species of chewing lice in the genus Saemundssonia, collected from seabirds in NewZealand, the Galápagos and other islands of the Pacific Ocean. They are: Saemundssonia (Saemundssonia) albatrossa n.sp. from Phoebetria palpebrata, Thalassarche chrysostoma, and Thalassarche impavida; Saemundssonia(Saemundssonia) creagrusa n. sp. from Creagrus furcatus; and Saemundssonia (Saemundssonia) gygisa n. sp. from Gygis alba candida.

The objective of this study was to investigate feather mites on birds of the Family Emberizidae, to collect data on the ecological ectoparasite-host relationship and infestation level. A sum of 94 birds of 9 species was captured at the Refúgio Ecológico

The present work aimed to investigate the status of Crab Plover (Dromas ardeola) population in Egypt, especially the nesting area. During the period from 2011 to 2019, several trips over the Egyptian Red Sea coast and islands for recording the crab plover population and searching for their nests were performed. The results showed that the estimated numbers of D. ardeola population in Egypt fluctuated from 130 individuals in 2019 to 1200 individuals in 2018. Fifty nests were observed for the first time in Elba National Park in June 2016. The numbers of nests increased in the next two years then declined to 50 nests in 2019.

Thalassornectes (Alcidectes) aukletae, originally described from two species of auklets (Charadriiformes: Alcidae) from maritime eastern Russia, is reported from a third species of pelagic charadriiform (Stercorariidae), the pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius poinarinus (Temminck), from Florida. The specimens from the jaeger are slightly smaller, the genital apodeme is more heavily sclerotized, paired setae gm are twice as long and there are other minor variations in the idiosomal and leg chaetotaxy. These differences are not considered sufficient to warrant taxonomic separation at the species or subspecies level from the nominate species T. (A.) aukletae. The same hypopus occurring across different families of birds is unusual in the Hypoderatidae. The diversity in hosts from several orders of birds, low intensities of infection in the two species from Africa, low prevalences in alcids from Russia, and rarity of these hypoderatids in all surveyed hosts leads us to speculate that the true host affinities of species in the genus Thalassornectes are unknown. The alternative consideration is that these are simply uncommon species that are very host specific.

Parasitological studies of the Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan, are scarce, and knowledge about its endoparasites is quite limited. In order to describe its parasitic community, a total of 60 Franklin’s gulls were captured in the coastal area in central Chile, using modified Bal-chatri traps. Ectoparasites were collected from all 60 live individuals through inspection of their plumage, while 30 were examined for endoparasites by standard parasitological necropsy. The prevalence of ectoparasites was 78.3%, including the feather mite Zachvatkinia larica (43.3%) and four species of lice: Actornithophilus piceus lari (15.0%), Austromenopon transversum (6.7%), Quadraceps punctatus (10.0%) and Saemundssonia lari (46.7%). Some 25 of 30 (83.3%) of birds necropsied were parasitized with the following helminths: Aporchis sp. (6.7%), Tetrabothrius cylindraceus (56.7%), Cyclophyllidea gen. sp. (3.3%), Profilicollis altmani (56.7%), Eucoleus contortus (10.0%), Cosmocephalus obvelatus (...

Four feather mites-Analges spiniger Giebel, 1871 (Analgidae), Pandionacarus fuscus (Nitzsch, 1818), Zachvatkinia issykkulica Chirov, 1978 (Avenzoariidae), and Proctophyllodes sylviae Gaud, 1957 (Proctophyllodidae)-are reported for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Males and females of A. spiniger and Pr. sylviae were collected from the blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla dammholzi Stresemann, 1928 (Passeriformes), while Z. issykkulica and P. fuscus specimens were collected from the Saunders's tern, Sternula saundersi (Hume, 1877) (Charadriiformes) and the osprey, Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Accipitriformes), respectively. The families Analgidae and Proctophyllodidae, as well as the genus Pandionacarus, are new to this country.

Feather mites are the most abundant arthropods found on birds, however, few studies have investigated their ecological associations with their hosts in Brazil. Here, we present a checklist of feather mites on 11 bird species from forest patches of Paraná State, Brazil. We recovered 16 species of feather mites belonging to two astigmatan families, namely Proctophyllodidae and Trouessartiidae. No visible external injuries were observed in the birds which could be related to the presence of these mites on their feathers. We report for first time five feather mite species from Paraná State. The present checklist expands the geographical range for five mite species, with one recorded for the first time in Brazil. Moreover, we have collected two potential new species of the genera Amerodectes and Trouessartia and recorded new bird hosts for three mite species.

This study was performed to determine the presence of mite species on wild ducks (Subfamily, Anatinae) in Turkey. For this purpose, a total of 12 ducks were caught in the 2003-2004 hunting seasons and inspected for the presence of mite species. At the end of the examinations six ducks were found to be infested by mites. One mite species was found on the infested ducks. This species were identified as Freyana anatina (Koch, 1844). In coclusion, one species of mites not reported before in the mite fauna of Turkey were found.

Pterolichoidea. The families with the most feather mite species known from Colombia are the Proctophyllodidae and Pterolichidae with 22 and 23 species, respectively. Associations of feather mites with 192 bird species of 43 families in 20 orders were found. These birds represent only 10.2% of all bird species recorded in Colombia. The White-collared Swift, Streptoprocne zonaris (Shaw) was the bird with the most species of feather mites recorded (5 spp.). The number of Colombian birds with identified taxa of feather mites is very low given the rich avifauna of this country. Special attention should be given to the 73 endemic Colombian bird species of which only four have feather mite records.

Four feather mites-Analges spiniger Giebel, 1871 (Analgidae), Pandionacarus fuscus (Nitzsch, 1818), Zachvatkinia issykkulica Chirov, 1978 (Avenzoariidae), and Proctophyllodes sylviae Gaud, 1957 (Proctophyllodidae)-are reported for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Males and females of A. spiniger and Pr. sylviae were collected from the blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla dammholzi Stresemann, 1928 (Passeriformes), while Z. issykkulica and P. fuscus specimens were collected from the Saunders's tern, Sternula saundersi (Hume, 1877) (Charadriiformes) and the osprey, Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Accipitriformes), respectively. The families Analgidae and Proctophyllodidae, as well as the genus Pandionacarus, are new to this country.

We undertook breeding surveys between 2010 and 2011 to assess the status of breeding birds on 16 islands in the northern Saudi Arabia. Sixteen bird species were found breeding at three different seasons; i.e. winter (Osprey), spring (Caspian and Saunder's Terns), and summer (Lesser Crested, White-cheeked, Bridled Terns). It is postulated that food availability is an important factor influencing the breeding of seabirds in the northern Saudi Arabian Red Sea. Several species laid eggs earlier in northern parts of the Red Sea than in southern parts. The predicted increases in temperatures (T a) could have a negative effect on species survival in the future, especially on those whose nests that are in the open. Finally, disturbance, predation and egg collection were probably the main immediate threats affecting the breeding seabird species in the northern Red Sea.

Feather mites of the family Avenzoariidae (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea) are recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia. A new avenzoariid species, Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) repressae sp. n. (Avenzoariidae: Bonnetellinae), is described from the White-cheeked Tern, Sterna repressa Hartert, 1916 (Charadriiformes: Sternidae). The new species belongs to the sternae group and is closely related to Z. (Z.) chlidoniae Mironov, 1989a. Two more species, Z. (Z.) dromae Mironov, 1992 and Z. (Z.) sternae (Canestrini & Fanzago, 1876), were collected from the Crab Plover Dromas ardeola Paykull, 1805 (Charadriiformes: Dromadidae) and the Sooty Gull Ichthyaetus hemprichii (Bruch, 1853) (Charadriiformes: Laridae), respectively. Among the 18 described species of Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, including the new species, this is the fifth species recorded from a sternid host. The remaining 13 nominal species are associated with birds of the families Diomedeidae, Dromadidae, Hydrobatidae, Laridae, Pelecanoididae, Procellariidae and Stercorariidae. A checklist of world species of Zachvatkinia with data on their distribution and type hosts is also provided.

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Knowledge about chewing lice from marine birds of the Red Sea is minimal. Five species of gulls were examined for chewing lice in three different localities of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. Two gull species were examined for lice for the first time (Larus armenicus Buturlin, 1934 and Larus michahellis Naumann, 1840) and their lice represent new hostlouse associations. Four species and two subspecies of lice were identified from 159 specimens collected. Actornithophilus piceus lari (Packard, 1870) and Austromenopon transversum (Denny, 1842) (suborder: Amblycera), and Quadraceps punctatus (Burmeister, 1838) and Saemundssonia lari (O. Fabricius, 1780) (suborder: Ischnocera) were recorded for the first time from Saudi Arabia and Red Sea birds. Taxonomic and ecological notes, type hosts, data on specimens examined, collecting localities, an identification key, and photographs of each species and subspecies are given.

Parasitological studies of the Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan, are scarce, and knowledge about its endoparasites is quite limited. In order to describe its parasitic community, a total of 60 Franklin’s gulls were captured in the coastal area in central Chile, using modified Bal-chatri traps. Ectoparasites were collected from all 60 live individuals through inspection of their plumage, while 30 were examined for endoparasites by standard parasitological necropsy. The prevalence of ectoparasites was 78.3%, including the feather mite Zachvatkinia larica (43.3%) and four species of lice: Actornithophilus piceus lari (15.0%), Austromenopon transversum (6.7%), Quadraceps punctatus (10.0%) and Saemundssonia lari (46.7%). Some 25 of 30 (83.3%) of birds necropsied were parasitized with the following helminths: Aporchis sp. (6.7%), Tetrabothrius cylindraceus (56.7%), Cyclophyllidea gen. sp. (3.3%), Profilicollis altmani (56.7%), Eucoleus contortus (10.0%), Cosmocephalus obvelatus (...

Feather mites are the most abundant arthropods found on birds, however, few studies have investigated their ecological associations with their hosts in Brazil. Here, we present a checklist of feather mites on 11 bird species from forest patches of Paraná State, Brazil. We recovered 16 species of feather mites belonging to two astigmatan families, namely Proctophyllodidae and Trouessartiidae. No visible external injuries were observed in the birds which could be related to the presence of these mites on their feathers. We report for first time five feather mite species from Paraná State. The present checklist expands the geographical range for five mite species, with one recorded for the first time in Brazil. Moreover, we have collected two potential new species of the genera Amerodectes and Trouessartia and recorded new bird hosts for three mite species.

Feather mites are the most abundant arthropods found on birds, however, few studies have investigated their ecological associations with their hosts in Brazil. Here, we present a checklist of feather mites on 11 bird species from forest patches of Paraná State, Brazil. We recovered 16 species of feather mites belonging to two astigmatan families, namely Proctophyllodidae and Trouessartiidae. No visible external injuries were observed in the birds which could be related to the presence of these mites on their feathers. We report for first time five feather mite species from Paraná State. The present checklist expands the geographical range for five mite species, with one recorded for the first time in Brazil. Moreover, we have collected two potential new species of the genera Amerodectes and Trouessartia and recorded new bird hosts for three mite species.

Pterolichoidea. The families with the most feather mite species known from Colombia are the Proctophyllodidae and Pterolichidae with 22 and 23 species, respectively. Associations of feather mites with 192 bird species of 43 families in 20 orders were found. These birds represent only 10.2% of all bird species recorded in Colombia. The White-collared Swift, Streptoprocne zonaris (Shaw) was the bird with the most species of feather mites recorded (5 spp.). The number of Colombian birds with identified taxa of feather mites is very low given the rich avifauna of this country. Special attention should be given to the 73 endemic Colombian bird species of which only four have feather mite records.

A preliminary checklist of feather mites from Colombia is presented. The list was compiled from a survey of publishedliterature, and from new records obtained by removing mites from live wild birds and dried museum skins. A total of 107taxa of feather mites identified to the species level were recorded, 86 species from the literature and another 21 speciesreported here for the first time from Colombian birds. At the generic level, 52 taxa were identified, including 39 new re-cords for the country. These feather mites are from 22 families, among which 13 are from the Analgoidea and 9 from thePterolichoidea. The families with the most feather mite species known from Colombia are the Proctophyllodidae and Pter-olichidae with 22 and 23 species, respectively. Associations of feather mites with 192 bird species of 43 families in 20orders were found. These birds represent only 10.2% of all bird species recorded in Colombia. The White-collared Swift,Streptoprocne zonaris (Shaw) was the bird...

Rhinozachvatkinia calonectris sp. n., a new species of the feather mite genus Rhinozachvatkinia Mironov, 1989 (Avenzoariidae: Bonnetellinae), is described from two species of shearwaters in the NorthEast of the Atlantic ocean, Calonectris edwardsii (oustalet) (type host) and Calonectris borealis (cory) (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae). We completed the morphological description of this new feather mite species with sequence data on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit i gene fragment (coi). the full generic status of Rhinozachvatkinia, originally established as a subgenus of Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, is formally fixed and its systematic relationships are briefly discussed.

Feather mites are the most abundant arthropods found on birds, however, few studies have investigated their ecological associations with their hosts in Brazil. Here, we present a checklist of feather mites on 11 bird species from forest patches of Paraná State, Brazil. We recovered 16 species of feather mites belonging to two astigmatan families, namely Proctophyllodidae and Trouessartiidae. No visible external injuries were observed in the birds which could be related to the presence of these mites on their feathers. We report for first time five feather mite species from Paraná State. The present checklist expands the geographical range for five mite species, with one recorded for the first time in Brazil. Moreover, we have collected two potential new species of the genera Amerodectes and Trouessartia and recorded new bird hosts for three mite species.

The goal of this study was to identify feather mites on Cerrado birds. This study was conducted at Fazenda Água Limpa (FAL), Distrito Federal, Brazil, between January and August 2002. Birds were captured with mist nets and banded. Were sampled 696 birds, belonging to 83 species and 25 bird families of Passeriformes and non-Passeriformes. Feather mites were found on five families: Analgidae, Trouessartiidae, Proctophyllodidae, Avenzoariidae and Psoroptoididae. The present work reports new occurrences of feather mites on captured hosts. The family Proctophyllodidae and the genus Pterodectes were the most prevalent group of feather mites collected. Tyrannidae, Pipridae, Emberizidae and Thraupidae were the bird families with most host numbers, with parasites from three taxa: Trouessartiidae, Proctophyllodidae and Analgidae. Considering the birds captured the prevalence was 44.98%. Trochilidae, Conopophagidae, Furnariidae, Tityridae, Turdidae, Mimidae, Cardinalidae, and Parulidae were the families with major feather mites prevalence (≥50%).

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 Č erný, 1974, including the new one, this is the third recorded from a passerine host; the remaining seven nominal species are associated with hosts of the order Piciformes. Brief data on the host-parasite associations of Picalgoides spp. are provided. Megninia megalixus Trouessart, 1885 from the short-tailed green magpie Cissa thalassina (Temminck) is transferred to Picalgoides as P. megalixus (Trouessart, 1885) n. comb.

Feather mites of the family Avenzoariidae (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea) are recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia. A new avenzoariid species, Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) repressae sp. n. (Avenzoariidae: Bonnetellinae), is described from the White-cheeked Tern, Sterna repressa Hartert, 1916 (Charadriiformes: Sternidae). The new species belongs to the sternae group and is closely related to Z. (Z.) chlidoniae Mironov, 1989a. Two more species, Z. (Z.) dromae Mironov, 1992 and Z. (Z.) sternae (Canestrini & Fanzago, 1876), were collected from the Crab Plover Dromas ardeola Paykull, 1805 (Charadriiformes: Dromadidae) and the Sooty Gull Ichthyaetus hemprichii (Bruch, 1853) (Charadriiformes: Laridae), respectively. Among the 18 described species of Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, including the new species, this is the fifth species recorded from a sternid host. The remaining 13 nominal species are associated with birds of the families Diomedeidae, Dromadidae, Hydrobatidae, Laridae, Pelecanoididae, Procellariidae and Stercorariidae. A checklist of world species of Zachvatkinia with data on their distribution and type hosts is also provided.

Parasitological studies of the Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan, are scarce, and knowledge about its endoparasites is quite limited. In order to describe its parasitic community, a total of 60 Franklin’s gulls were captured in the coastal area in central Chile, using modified Bal-chatri traps. Ectoparasites were collected from all 60 live individuals through inspection of their plumage, while 30 were examined for endoparasites by standard parasitological necropsy. The prevalence of ectoparasites was 78.3%, including the feather mite Zachvatkinia larica (43.3%) and four species of lice: Actornithophilus piceus lari (15.0%), Austromenopon transversum (6.7%), Quadraceps punctatus (10.0%) and Saemundssonia lari (46.7%). Some 25 of 30 (83.3%) of birds necropsied were parasitized with the following helminths: Aporchis sp. (6.7%), Tetrabothrius cylindraceus (56.7%), Cyclophyllidea gen. sp. (3.3%), Profilicollis altmani (56.7%), Eucoleus contortus (10.0%), Cosmocephalus obvelatus (...

Parasitological studies of the Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan, are scarce, and knowledge about its endoparasites is quite limited. In order to describe its parasitic community, a total of 60 Franklin’s gulls were captured in the coastal area in central Chile, using modified Bal-chatri traps. Ectoparasites were collected from all 60 live individuals through inspection of their plumage, while 30 were examined for endoparasites by standard parasitological necropsy. The prevalence of ectoparasites was 78.3%, including the feather mite Zachvatkinia larica (43.3%) and four species of lice: Actornithophilus piceus lari (15.0%), Austromenopon transversum (6.7%), Quadraceps punctatus (10.0%) and Saemundssonia lari (46.7%). Some 25 of 30 (83.3%) of birds necropsied were parasitized with the following helminths: Aporchis sp. (6.7%), Tetrabothrius cylindraceus (56.7%), Cyclophyllidea gen. sp. (3.3%), Profilicollis altmani (56.7%), Eucoleus contortus (10.0%), Cosmocephalus obvelatus (...

This thrush normally inhabits semi-forested areas, but it can be recorded in a variety of habitats, including urban areas (Sick 1997). Female builds a bowl-shaped nest, made up of clay, roots, and dried vegetal matter, on human constructions, ravines and hedgerows, in heights varying from 1 to 2.5m from the ground (Sick 1997). Two to three green-bluish red spotted eggs are incubated by the female for 10 to 12 days, when the nestlings are born (Mendes-Neto & Vasconcelos 2005, Sigrist 2013). Pale-breasted Thrush is described as an omnivorous bird that forage solitarily or in pairs on the ground (Willis 1979, Sick 1997). From stomach content studies and direct observations in the wild, the diet of T. leucomelas was delimited: fruits, seeds, insects, arachnids, earthworms, gastropods, and small vertebrates, such as lizards and snakes (

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