Peristerophila columbae ( Hirst, 1920 )

Skoracki, Maciej, 2011, Quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) of the Palaearctic region 2840, Zootaxa 2840 (1), pp. 1-414 : 294-296

Peristerophila columbae ( Hirst, 1920)

( Figs. 216–218 )

Syringophilus columbae Hirst, 1920: 121 .

Peristerophila columba, Kethley 1970: 56 , fig. 32.

Type host: Columba livia Gmelin ( Columbiformes : Columbidae ). Type locality: USA.

FEMALE (7 specimens from type host species from Poland). Total body length 635–680. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum posteriorly punctate. Hypostomal apex with 2 pairs of sausage-like median protuberances. Lengths of stylophore and movable cheliceral digits 135 and 95 respectively. Each medial branch of peritremes with 1–2 chambers, each lateral branch with 4–5 chambers. Podomers of palps punctate. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield punctate, weakly sclerotized, rectangular in shape or reduced to 3 sabre-like, vertical sclerites. Setae si slightly (1.2 times) longer than ve. Setae se and c1 situated at same transverse level or setae se located slightly anterior to level of setae c1. Hysteronotal shield fused to pygidial shield, apunctate, weakly sclerotized, narrow, bearing bases of setae d1 and all terminal setae. Length ratio of ag1: ag2: ag3 2.4:1:3.2. Coxal fields I–IV apunctate. Setae 3c 2.6 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” with 15 short tines. Setae tc” of legs III and IV 3 times longer than tc’III–IV. Length ratio of coxal fields I and II 1.2:1. Some of podomers of legs I and II punctate on ventral side. Lengths of setae: ve 20–25, si 30, se 190, c1 230, c2 185, d1 180, d2 225–230, e2 145, f1 25–35, f2 210, h1 30, h2 380, ag1 110–125, ag2 45, ag3 145–185, g1 25, g2 35, ps1 15–20, ps2 15–20, tc’III–IV 15–20, tc”III–IV 50–60, l’RIII 25– 30, l’RIV 30, 3b 25, 3c 65.

MALE (2 specimens from type host species from Poland). Total body length 355–370. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Stylophore 105 long. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2 chambers, each lateral branch with 4 chambers. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield apunctate, weakly sclerotized, bearing bases of setae ve, si and c1. Setae ve and si short and subequal in length. Setae se and c2 located at same transverse level. Hysteronotal shield weakly sclerotized with indiscernible margins, not fused to pygidial shield, bearing bases of setae d1 and e2. Setae d2 2.8 times longer than setae d1 and e2. Pygidial shield apunctate. Setae h2 slightly (1.3 times) longer than setae f2. Setae ag1 slightly (1.2 times) longer than ag2. Genital setae g1 situated anterior to level of setae g2. Coxal fields I–IV apunctate, weakly sclerotized. Setae 3c 1.5 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” with 8 short tines. Lengths of setae: ve 20–25, si 20–25, se 70, c1 80, c2 70, d1 20, d2 55, e2 20, f2 20, h2 25, ag1 50, ag2 40, l’RIII and l’RIV 20, 3b 20, 3c 30.

Type material (not examined). All type material of this species is lost ( Kethley 1970).

Non-type material examined. Columba livia Gmelin ( Columbiformes : Columbidae ): 11 females, 2 males ( AMU –SYR.282A) (cov.); POLAND, Wielkopolska, Poznan, 10 February 2010, coll. M. Skoracki, E. Glowska. Material deposited in the AMU. Same host species: 2 females ( AMU SYR.282B) (cov.); ENGLAND, West Ardsley near Leeds (53°43'N, 1°34'W), 12 June 2006, coll. B. Nattress. Material deposited in the AMU. Same host species: 6 females (axi.); ENGLAND, Darfield, South Yorkshire (53°32'N, 1°22'W), 12 July 2008, coll. A. Norman. Material deposited in the NHML. Same host species: 2 females ( AVB 05–0714–008), TURKEY, Istambul (41°10'00"N, 28°45'00"E), 1 October 1977, coll. J.M. Doby. Material deposited in the ZISP. Same host species: 1 female 2 nymphs ( AVB 05–0714–009); IRAN, Mazandaran, Babol (36°32'00"N, 52°42'00"E), 1 March 1974, coll. F. Arfaa. Material deposited in the ZISP. Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky) (Columbidae) : 11 females ( AMU – SYR.190) (cov.); JORDAN, Al-Dhleil near Amman, 12 March 2002, coll. M. Skoracki. Material deposited in the AMU and ZISP.

Host range and habitat. Oligoxenous species inhabiting quills of secondaries, coverts and axillaries of Columba livia and Streptopelia decaocto . Is worth noting that this species inhabits also the Neotropical species of dove— Zenaida auriculata .

Distribution. Palaearctic: England, Poland, Turkey, and Iran.

Remark. In the paper by Glowska et al. 2007, Peristerophila columba recorded on Streptopelia decaocto was incorrectly determined as Castosyringophilus mucuya .

Figures

FIGURE 216. Peristerophila columbae (Hirst), female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

FIGURE 217. Peristerophila columbae (Hirst), male. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

FIGURE 218. Peristerophila columbae (Hirst), female (A–E). A, hypostomal apex; B, peritremes; C, movable cheliceral digit; D, fan-like setae p’ of leg III; E, solenidia of leg I. Male (F–I). F, hypostomal apex; G, fan-like setae p’ of leg III; H, peritreme; I, genito-anal region.