Corresponding author: Ioana Cristina Constantinescu (
Academic editor: Vladimir Pesic
The article describes a new species of the feather mite subfamily Pterodectinae from the Little Spiderhunter
Constantinescu IC, Chişamera G, Mukhim DKB, Adam C (2014) A new species of pterodectine feather mites (Acarina, Analgoidea, Proctophyllodidae) from the Little Spiderhunter
Feather mites are commensals or ectoparasites permanently living on birds. In India, the diversity of feather mites is poorly investigated, and only 26 species have been mentioned so far in various taxonomic papers (
In this paper, we describe a new species of
The material used in the present paper was collected in Meghalaya (India), in January 2014. The birds were trapped by means of ornithological mist nets, identified and visually checked for the presence of mites and, after mites were collected, released back to the wild. Mite specimens were placed in tubes with 95% ethanol. Later, in the laboratory, the mite specimens were cleared in lactic acid and mounted on microscope slides in Hoyer’s medium. Drawings were made using an Olympus CX21 microscope, using a camera lucida drawing device.
The bird specimens were identified according to
The genus currently includes six species, associated with birds of the order
Mite species | Host species | Host family | Location | References |
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Central African Republic | |||
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Mozambique |
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Cameroon |
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South Africa |
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South Africa |
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South Africa |
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India | Present paper |
* - Type host
Male holotype (ANA256), 3 male (ANA257, ANA258, ANA259) and 4 female (ANA260, ANA261, ANA262, ANA263) paratypes from the Little Spiderhunter
MALE (
Legs I slightly longer and thicker than legs II, femora I and II with ventro-basal crests (
FEMALE (
Legs I longer and thicker than legs II, femora II with ventro-basal crests, genua III with dorso-basal crest (
The specific epithet refers to the narrowed lobar region of the female, and it is an adjective in the nominative singular.
According to the diagnosis of the genus
1 | Epimerites I fused V-likely | 2 |
– | Epimerites I fused Y-likely | 4 |
2 | Postero-lateral extensions of epimerites I connected to epimerites II |
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– | Postero-lateral extensions of epimerites I not connected to epimerites II | 3 |
3 | Tip of aedeagus extending beyond posterior margin of idiosoma |
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– | Tip of aedeagus not extending beyond posterior margin of idiosoma |
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4 | Postero-lateral extensions of epimerites I present | 5 |
– | Postero-lateral extensions of epimerites I absent |
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5 | Postero-lateral extensions of epimerites I connected to epimerites II |
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– | Postero-lateral extensions of epimerites I not connected to epimerites II | 6 |
6 | Opisthosomal lobes present; tip of aedeagus not extending beyond posterior margin of idiosoma | |
– | Opisthosomal lobes absent; tip of aedeagus extending beyond posterior margin of idiosoma |
|
1 | Width of terminal appendages in anterior half similar to that of opisthosomal lobes | |
– | Terminal appendages narrower than opisthosomal lobes | 2 |
2 | Lateral margins of terminal cleft spaced in some parts or on their entire length | 3 |
– | Lateral margins of terminal cleft almost touching on their entire length | 6 |
3 | Prodorsal shield split into anterior and posterior pieces at level of scapular setae |
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– | Prodorsal shield entire | 4 |
4 | Lateral margins of prodorsal shield entire | 5 |
– | Lateral margins of prodorsal shield with deep incisions around setae |
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5 | Epimerites I fused V-likely |
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– | Epimerites I fused Y-likely |
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6 | Posterior margin of anterior hysteronotal shield straight |
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– | Posterior margin of anterior hysteronotal shield concave |
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We are grateful to the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife & Chief Wildlife Warden from Shillong (Meghalaya, India) for the permission to catch birds (permission No. FWC.G/173/Pt.). We would like to thank reviewers for their patience in analyzing the manuscript and their valuable suggestions that have greatly improved the paper, and also our proofreader, PhD. Ana Wetzl (Assistant Professor of English, Kent State University at Trumbull, USA).