<i>Tinamiphilopsis temmincki</i> sp. n., a New Quill Mite Species from Tataupa Tinamou, and the Early History of Syringophilid Mites

The quill mite fauna of the Syringophilidae family (Acariformes: Prostigmata), which is associated with palaeognathous birds of the Tinamiformes order, remains poorly studied. Thus far, only two species of syringophilid mites have been documented on four species of tinamous. In this study, we presen...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maciej Skoracki, Monika Fajfer, Martin Hromada, Jan Hušek, Bozena Sikora
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/17/2728
Description
Summary:The quill mite fauna of the Syringophilidae family (Acariformes: Prostigmata), which is associated with palaeognathous birds of the Tinamiformes order, remains poorly studied. Thus far, only two species of syringophilid mites have been documented on four species of tinamous. In this study, we present a description of a new species, <i>Tinamiphilopsis temmincki</i> sp. n., which was found on the Tataupa Tinamou (<i>Crypturellus tataupa</i>) in South America. This newly identified species differs from others in the genus due to the short hysteronotal setae <i>d2</i> in females, unlike the long setae <i>d2</i> found in females of other <i>Tinamiphilopsis</i> species. In addition to describing the new species, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of the primitive syringophilid genera. The results reveal that the <i>Tinamiphilopsis</i> genus does not emerge as a sister group to all other syringophilids. Instead, it is deeply embedded within the radiation of quill mites associated with neognathous birds. This study provided evidence that mites belonging to the genus <i>Tinamiphilopsis</i> initially parasitised Neoavian birds before host switching to tinamous birds. This placement carries significant implications for our understanding of the evolution of quill mites and their relationship with their avian hosts.
ISSN:2076-2615