Columbiphilus Kivganov and Sharafat, 1995

Skoracki, Maciej, 2011, Quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) of the Palaearctic region 2840, Zootaxa 2840 (1), pp. 1-414 : 373-374

Genus Columbiphilus Kivganov and Sharafat, 1995

Columbiphilus Kivganov and Sharafat, 1995: 82 .

Picobia Bochkov & Mironov 1998: 15 .

Type species: C. khushalkhani Kivganov and Sharafat, 1995 by original designation.

Diagnosis. NON-PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE. Small to medium syringophilids (total body length 650–880). Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex rounded or with pair of small blunt-ended protuberances. Lateral hypostomal teeth present or absent. Peritremes V-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 smooth or beaded. Six pairs of propodonotal setae present, arranged 2–2–2 or 2–1–1–2, setae vi situated anterior to level of setae ve. Propodonotal shield divided longitudinally, forming 2 lateral shields bearing bases of setae vi, ve, si and se, unpaired shield between these shields present or absent. Hysteronotal shield absent. Hysteronotal setae long. Setae d1 situated equidistant between d2 and e2. Pygidial shield 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 absent. Genital lobes absent. Legs. Legs I and II thicker than II and IV. Apodemes divergent without thorn-like protuberances in middle part. Legs with full complement of solenidia. Antaxial and paraxial members of claw pair subequal in size and shape.

PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE. Large-sized mites (length 1215–1230). Body campanulliform in outline.

MALE. Features as in females except: small sized mites (total body length 430–580); hypostomal apex rounded; propodonotal shield not divided, shirt-like; hysteronotal shield entire, not fused to pygidial shield; hysteronotal setae d2 long, setae d1 long or short, setae e2 short; terminal setae f2 short, h2 long; each of pseudanal, genital and aggenital series represented by 2 pairs of setae; aggenital plate present, divided longitudinally or entire; apodemes I parallel.

Host range. In the Palaearctic region, species of this genus are associated with hosts of three orders: Galliformes (Phasianidae) , Columbiiformes ( Columbidae ), and Pteroclidiformes (Pteroclididae) .

Habitat. Quills of body feathers.

Species included. The world fauna of this genus comprises 4 species known from the Palaearctic (3 species) and Ethiopian (1) regions. The Palaearctic fauna includes: C. polonica comb. nov., C. khushalkhani and C. pteroclesi comb. nov. ( Table 26).