Peristerophila Kethley, 1970

Kaszewska, Katarzyna, Skoracki, Maciej, Kosicki, Jakub Z. & Hromada, Martin, 2020, New species and records of the quill mites of the genus Peristerophila Kethley 1970 (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) associated with pigeons and doves (Aves Columbiformes), Zootaxa 4878 (2), pp. 349-361 : 352-353

Genus Peristerophila Kethley, 1970

Peristerophila Kethley, 1970: 53 .

Type species. Syringophilus columbae Hirst, 1920 , by the original designation.

Diagnosis. FEMALE, HOMEOMORPHIC FORM. Medium-size syringophilids: total body length 535‒750. Hy-postomal apex with two pairs of medial sausage-like protuberances. Stylophore rounded posteriorly. Gnathosoma 1.2–1.5 times longer than apodemes I. Propodonotal shield entire ( Fig. 1D ) or divided into 3 sclerites ( Fig. 1 A‒C). Five pairs of propodonotal setae present (vi absent). Bases of setae ve, si, and c1 situated on propodonotal shield or out off this shield. Hysteronotal shield variable, if present fused ( Fig. 1E ) or not to pygidial shield ( Fig. 1 F‒H). Apodemes I parallel and fused to apodemes II. Length ratio of legs I:II 1‒1.2:1. Leg setae vsII and dFII‒IV absent.

FEMALE, HETEROMORPHIC FORM. Characters as in homeomorphic female, except: total body length 800‒1000; apodemes I and gnathosoma equal in length; legs I 1.3‒1.6 times longer than legs II.

MALE. Characters as in female, except: total body length 335‒455; hypostomal apex smooth; propodonotal shield entire; apodemes I divergent posteriorly, not fused to apodemes II.

Species included. This genus includes five species associated exclusively with columbiform birds: P. claravis

( Skoracki and Glowska, 2008), P. columbae ( Hirst, 1920) , P. geopelis sp. nov., P. lature Kaszewska, Kavetska and Skoracki, 2014 , P. leucomela sp nov., one species associated with columbiform and psittaciform birds: P. mucuya ( Casto, 1980) , and six species associated with non-columbiform birds: P. accipitridicus Skoracki, Lontkowski and Stawarczyk, 2010 (Accipitiformes) , P. meropis ( Skoracki, Hromada and Sikora, 2017) (Coraciiformes) , P. falcophila Skoracki and Hromada, 2018 (Falconiformes) , P. forpi ( Bochkov and Perez, 2002) (Psittaciformes) , P. nestoriae Marciniak, Skoracki and Hromada, 2019 (Psittaciformes) , and P. upupi Klimovicova, Mikula, Kahure and Hromada, 2014 (Bucerotiformes) .

Columbiform hosts. Members of this genus are associated with 46 species belonging to the following genera: Columba , Columbina , Claravis, Ducula , Geopelia , Geophaps , Geotrygon , Metriopelia , Ocyphaps , Oena , Patagioenas , Ptilinopus , and Streptopelia .

Habitats. Quills of primaries, secondaries, wing coverts, under- and upper tail coverts, and contour feathers.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Scheme of details of Peristerophila idiosomal sclerotizations (females). A–D, propodonotal shield; E–G, hysteronotal shield; H, pygidial shield.