Two new feather mites (Acari: Astigmata) from the Turkey Vulture (Ciconiiformes: Cathartidae) in Canada Sergei V Mironov Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, Saint Petersburg, Russia 199034
Terry D Galloway1 Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2 The Canadian Entomologist 135: 655 - 667 (2003)
Abstract—Two new feather mites are described from the Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura (Linnaeus), in Canada: Ancyralges cathartinus sp. nov. (Analgoidea: Analgidae) and Cathartacarus aurae gen. nov., sp. nov. (Pterolichoidea: Gabuciniidae). Both species of feather mites have their closest relatives among ectoparasites of the Falconiformes. No species of feather mites related to those which have been found on Ciconiiformes are known to parasitize Cathartidae. Mironov SV, Galloway TD. 2003. Deux nouvelles especes d'acariens plumicoles (Acari : Astigmata) chez l'urubu a tete rouge (Ciconiiformes : Cathartidae) au Canada. The Canadian Entomologist 135 : 655-667.
Resume—On trouvera ici la description de deux especes nouvelles d'acariens decouvertes dans le plumage d'urubus a tete rouge, Cathartes aura (Linne) au Canada : Ancyralges cathartinus sp. nov. (Analgoidea : Analgidae) et Cathartacarus aurae gen. nov., sp. nov. (Pterolichoidea : Gabuciniidae). Les deux especes ont leurs plus proches parents chez les acariens plumicoles ectoparasites des Falconiformes. Aucun acarien plumicole apparente aux especes trouvees sur les Ciconiiformes ne semble parasiter les Cathartidae. [Traduit par la Redaction]
Introduction The feather mites associated with the Falconiformes, especially the Accipitridae, have been investigated relatively thoroughly in Europe and Africa (Fain 1965; Gaud and Atyeo 1974; Gaud 1966, 1983a, 1983/?; Philips and Fain 1991). Species from New World Falconiformes are not as well known, neither are species from New World vultures (Ciconiiformes, Cathartidae), for which most species of ectoparasites are most closely related to species parasitizing Falconiformes. The Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura (Linnaeus) (Cathartidae), is a relatively common bird in southern Manitoba, but few specimens have been available for study. Much of our research has involved birds salvaged from the Manitoba Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization (MWRO), but quite unlike many other species of birds, vultures do not have the general appeal that motivates people to bring injured birds to the Centre. As a result, we have seen relatively few specimens; however, during the course of our research at the University of Manitoba on ectoparasites of birds, we have had the opportunity to examine three Turkey Vultures, two of which were infested with mites. The 1
Corresponding author (e-mail:
[email protected]).
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objective of the present paper is to provide descriptions of two new species of feather mites found on these birds. These are the first descriptions of new species of feather mites from this host species and the family Cathartidae. There are reports of feather mites on four species of Cathartidae, but they have been reported at best only to the generic level, namely Ancyralges Gaud, 1966 and Hieracolichus Gaud et Atyeo, 1974 (see review by Philips 2000). Therefore, we do not know exactly the relationship of previously reported feather mites on Cathartidae to species described here. Of the two new species described below, Ancyralges cathartinus sp. nov. (Analgoidea, Analgidae) is in a genus which so far is restricted to Old and New World vultures (Gaud and Atyeo 1982). As typical representatives of Analgidae, this species belongs to an ecological group of mites specialized to live among down and contour feathers of their hosts (Mironov 1987; Dabert and Mironov 1999). Cathartacarus aurae gen. nov., sp. nov. (Pterolichoidea, Gabuciniidae) possesses characteristics that allow us to describe this as a new genus, distinct from the genus Hieracolichus, to which the Gabuciniidae mite formerly recorded from the Turkey Vulture was referred (Philips 2000). As far as is known, all other representatives of Gabuciniidae typically dwell on the ventral surfaces of flight feathers of the wings.
Materials and methods Bird specimens for the collections of feather mites were obtained from MWRO, Glenlea, Manitoba (49°38'N, 97°08^), and were held under the conditions of a salvage permit issued by Manitoba Conservation, Winnipeg. All birds were the casualties of various accidents or infections and died at the rehabilitation centre. Techniques for collection and preparation of feather mites were described by Mironov and Galloway (2002). Descriptions of the adults of new species are given in standard format used for respective mite taxa. Idiosomal chaetotaxy is adopted from Griffiths et al. (1990), and the chaetotaxy for the legs is that of Atyeo and Gaud (1966). The full set of measurements is given for the holotype (male) and for one paratype (female). The range of idiosomal size is given for all paratypes. The common and scientific names of Nearctic birds follow the checklist of the birds of North America prepared by the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) (1998). Type specimens and vouchers have been deposited in the following institutions: CNC JBWM ZISP
Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Eastern Cereal and Oilseeds Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada JB Wallis Museum of Entomology, Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya embankment 1, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Taxonomic treatment Genus Ancyralges Gaud, 1966 (Analgoidea: Analgidae: Ancyralginae) The genus Ancyralges is the only genus of the subfamily Ancyralginae and is characterized by the unique structure of the pretarsi within the entire superfamily Analgoidea. The pretarsus in feather mites commonly has an ambulacral apparatus
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consisting of a stalk and a circular or ovate disc; the pretarsi on all legs of the genus Ancyralges are modified, with a very long, thin stalk with an anchor-like apex (Figs. 3-8). This genus was originally based on one species, Ancyralges cometus Gaud, 1966, described from the African White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus Salvadori (Accipitridae). Gaud and Atyeo (1982) later included Ancyralges harpipodus (Trouessart, 1886), which was described from a female only, from the Papuan Eared Nightjar, Eurostopodus papuensis (Schlegel) (Caprimulgiformes, Podagridae), in New Guinea. These authors believed that the latter host record was probably the result of accidental contamination and they pointed out that the genus Ancyralges may be limited to Old and New World vultures; however, they provided no host names of vultures or the number of undescribed Ancyralges species that they had seen.
Ancyralges cathartinus sp. nov. (Figs. 1-10) Material examined Holotype (male, CNC type 22860): CANADA. Manitoba: Seven Sisters Falls (50°07N, 96°0П¥); rehabilitation centre case number TUVU/269/CEN/99; 15.V.1999; ex Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura; TD Galloway and D Holder collectors. Holotype deposited in CNC. Paratypes: CANADA. Manitoba: Four female paratypes with same data as the holotype. Paratypes are deposited in CNC, JBWM, and ZISP. Etymology This species name, cathartinus, refers to the generic name of the host, Cathartes. Diagnosis Ancyralges cathartinus males clearly differ from A. cometus males by the presence of two pairs of ovate adanal shields, presence of setiform solenidion ф on tibia IV, anterior part of terminal cleft semicircular, and setae h3 situated on lobar apices (Figs. 1, 2). In A. cometus males, adanal shields represented by one pair of sclerites connected to posterior ends of genital apodemes, solenidion ф of tibia IV spindle-like, anterior end of the terminal cleft forms an acute angle, setae h3 situated subterminally on lateral margins of lobes. Females of new species distinguished by concave anterior margin of hysteronotal shield, very long setae d of tarsi III, comparable in length to idiosoma, and setae d2 and e2 extending almost to posterior margin of opisthosoma. In A. cometus females, anterior margin of hysteronotal shield straight, setae d of tarsi III about one third of idiosomal length, and setae d2 and e2 short, less than half the length of hysteronotal shield. Description Male (holotype). Idiosomal length from anterior end to lobar apices 308 |im, greatest width 200 (im. Prodorsal shield ovate, with posterior end more blunt, 80 Jim long along median line, 53 Jim wide at widest part, setae se separated by 80 fim (Fig. 1). Hysteronotal shield with straight anterior margin, greatest length 194 (im, width at level of humeral shields 124 (im. Total length of terminal cleft 26 ц,т, internal margins with ledge bearing seta psl, anterior end of cleft semicircular. Setae h3 situated on lobar apices. Distances between setae and setal rows c2-d2, d2-e2, e2-f2, /2-h3, psl-h3, h3~h3, and psl-psl 71, 68, 55, 20, 15, 60, and 30 |im, respectively. Genital apparatus at level of trochanters IV, aedeagus short, directed anteriorly, length of genital
CD
I О О
cf FIGURES 1-2. Ancyralges cathartinus, male: 1, dorsal view; 2, ventral view. Refer to text for abbreviations.
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ba
\
50 \xm
8 FIGURES 3-8. Ancyralges cathartinus, distal segments of legs, ventral view. Male: 3, tarsus I; 4, tarsus II; 5, tarsus III; 6, tibia and tarsus IV. Female: 7, tarsus III; 8, tarsus IV. Refer to text for abbreviations.
apparatus including aedeagus 16 Jim, width at base 7 jam. Genital apodemes as longitudinal bars extending to level of setae g, not enlarged in posterior part. Adanal shields represented by two pairs of ovate sclerites completely separated from genital apodemes
9
W
^
10
FIGURES 9-10. Ancyralges cathartinus, female: 9, dorsal view; 10, ventral view. Refer to text for abbreviations.
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TABLE 1. Main discriminative characters for the genera Aetacarus, Hieracolichus, and Cathartacarus. Character
Aetacarus
Hieracolichus
Cathartacarus
Position of solenidion a on genu III Setae c3
Basal Setiform, lanceolate > >
Medial Setiform > > Lanceolate Anterior
Basal Lanceolate
