Picobia Haller, 1878

Skoracki, Maciej, 2011, Quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) of the Palaearctic region 2840, Zootaxa 2840 (1), pp. 1-414 : 327

Genus Picobia Haller, 1878

Picobia Haller, 1878: 93 ; Kethley 1970: 64

Type species: P. heeri Haller, 1878 by monotypy.

Diagnosis. NON-PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE. Medium-sized syringophilids (total body length 450–770). Gnathosoma . Shape of hypostomal apex variable, flat, rounded or rounded, with shoulders. Lateral hypostomal teeth absent. Peritremes V-, U- or M-shaped, with clearly visible chambers in each branch. Movable cheliceral digits edentate on distal tip, dentate or edentate in posterior part. Stylophore rounded posteriorly. Idiosoma . Dorsal propodonotal setae beaded. Six pairs of propodonotal setae present, arranged 2–2–2 or 2–1–1–2, setae vi and ve situated at same transverse level. Propodonotal shield divided longitudinally, forming 2 narrow shields bearing bases of setae ve, si and se, unpaired shield between these shields present or absent. Hysteronotal shield absent. Hysteronotal setae long. Setae d1 situated closer to e2 than to d2 or located equidistant between d2 and e2. Pygidial shield present or absent. Terminal setae f1, f2 short, setae h2 long, setae h1 short or long. Bases of setae 1a–1a coalesced. Pseudanal series represented by 2 pairs of setae. Genital series with 1 pair of setae (g2 —absent). Aggenital series with 3 pairs of setae. Aggenital plate absent. Genital plate present or absent. Genital lobes present or absent. Legs. Legs I and II thicker than III and IV. Apodemes parallel with thorn-like protuberances in middle part. Legs with full complement of solenidia. Antaxial and paraxial members of claw pair subequal or unequal in size and shape.

PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE. Medium to large-sized mites (total body length 380–1905). Body with wormshaped outline.

MALE. Features as in females except: small sized mites (total body length 335–645); hypostomal apex rounded; hysteronotal shield present, not fused to pygidial shield, divided longitudinally or entire; hysteronotal setae d2 long, setae d1 and e2 short; terminal setae f2 short, h2 long; pseudanal series represented by 2 pairs of setae; genital series with 2 pair of setae; aggenital series with 2 pairs of setae; aggenital plate present, divided longitudinally or entire.

Host range. Mites of this genus are associated with birds of three orders: Passeriformes ( Aegithalidae , Alaudidae , Corcoracidae , Corvidae , Fringillidae , Hirundinidae , Nectarinidae, Panuridae , Paradisaeidae , Pycnonotidae , Sturnidae , and Sylviidae ), Piciformes (Picidae) and Upupiformes ( Phoeniculidae ). In the Palaearctic region, these mites are known from paseriform and piciform birds listed in Table 25.

Habitat. Quills of body feathers.

Species included. This genus includes 19 species described from the Palaearctic (13 species), Australian (3), Ethiopian (2), and Oriental (1) regions. Additionally, 3 species are included in this genus as incertae sedis: P. brotogeris Fain, Bochkov and Mironov, 2000 , P. leucophaeus Skoracki, Hendricks and Spicer, 2010 , and P. poicephali Skoracki et Dabert, 2002 .

The Palaearctic fauna comprises 13 species: P. biarmicus , P. caudati , P. cetti sp. nov., P. chloris , P. currucae , P. dryobatis , P. eremophila sp. nov., P. galerida sp. nov., P. heeri , P. paludicola , P. pycnonoti , P. riparius sp. nov., P. sturni .