Academic editor: Vladimir Pesic
We report on the first investigation of feather mites associated with birds living on the Barton Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica). We found seven feather mite species of the superfamily
Han Y-D, Mironov SV, Kim J-H, Min G-S (2021) Feather mites (Acariformes, Astigmata) from marine birds of the Barton Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica), with descriptions of two new species. ZooKeys 1061: 109–130.
Feather mites (
Antarctica is the fifth largest and most isolated continent on our planet (
King George Island is the largest of the South Shetland Islands at the northwest tip of the Antarctic Peninsula (
To date, no studies have been conducted on feather mites associated with birds living on the Barton Peninsula. In the present work, we report seven analgoid feather mites, including descriptions of two new species from the genera
Mite samples were obtained from the Antarctic Shag (
Descriptions of two new species are given according to standard formats used for the corresponding feather mite taxa (
Before preparing the microscopic slides, genomic DNA was extracted from one leg of each specimen using a Tissue DNA Purification Kit (Cosmogenetech Inc., Seoul, Korea) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The COI barcode fragment was amplified using two universal primers: bcdF05 (5′-TTTTCTACHAAYCATAAAGATATTGC-3′) and bcdR04 (5′- TATAAACYTCDGGATGNCCAAAAAA-3′) under the following conditions: 2 min at 94 °C; 40 cycles at 98 °C for 15 s, 50 °C for 30 s, and 68 °C for 60 s; and a final extension at 68 °C for 5 min (
The subgenus
3 males and 3 females (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887146–NIBRIV0000887151) from
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
The subgenus
3 males and 3 females (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887152–NIBRIV0000887157) from
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
The subgenus
Male holotype (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887158), 3 males and 4 females paratypes (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887159–NIBRIV0000887164) from
Among 18 previously known species in the subgenus
The comparative material of
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
The specific name refers to the geographical range of the type host.
1 male and 3 females (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887165–NIBRIV0000887168) from
Mites of the genus
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
3 males and 3 females (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887169–NIBRIV0000887174) from
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
3 males and 3 females (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887175–NIBRIV0000887180) from
Although
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
The genus
Male holotype (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887181), 2 males and 3 females paratypes (NIBR No. NIBRIV0000887182–NIBRIV0000887186) from
Sternum about half as long as total length of epimerites I (Fig.
Tarsi I, II each with short apicodorsal extension. Tibiae I, II with well-developed ventral spine-like processes (Fig.
Sternum about half as long as epimerites I. Epigynum thick and is bow-shaped, 13–22 long, 58–64 wide, with tips bearing bases of setae
Legs I, II as in the male. Legs IV with tarsus extending beyond posterior end of opisthosoma. Tarsi III, IV without apical spines, length of tarsi III, IV 60–61 and 72–74, respectively. Setae
The new species
The COI sequences were obtained from two individuals and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers
The specific name is taken from the generic name of the type host and is a noun in apposition.
This study was supported by Korea Polar Research Institute’s projects on the “Ecophysiology of Antarctic terrestrial organisms to reveal mechanisms of adaptation to changing environment” (PE21130). The authors wish to thank Ji-Young Lee (Chonnam National University, Korea) for sample collection. The permit for catching birds was officially approved the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Korea Polar Research Institute.