Syringophilus fringillae (Fritsch, 1958)

Skoracki, Maciej, 2011, Quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) of the Palaearctic region 2840, Zootaxa 2840 (1), pp. 1-414 : 185

Group fringillae

Diagnosis. Setae h1 and f1 unequal in length.

Syringophilopsis fringillae ( Fritsch, 1958)

( Figs. 136 and 137 )

Syringophilus fringillae Fritsch, 1958: 230 , figs. 2, 3.

Syringophilopsis fringilla, Kethley 1970: 21 .

Type host: Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus ( Passeriformes : Fringillidae ). Type locality: Germany.

FEMALE (10 specimens from type host species from Poland). Total body length 1200–1310. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Hypostomal apex with 1 pair of short protuberances. Each medial branch of peritremes with 3–5 chambers, each lateral branch with 13–14 chambers. Length of apunctate stylophore and movable cheliceral digit 255 and 185 respectively. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield sculptured and punctate near bases of setae ve and si, bearing bases of setae vi, ve, si and c1, setae se on or near this shield. Length ratio of setae vi:ve:si 1:1.5:1.5–2. Setae se and c1 situated at same transverse level. Hysteronotal shields present, apunctate. Small pygidial shield present, sparsely punctate. Setae h1 1.8–2 times shorter than f1, both shorter than f2 and h2. Genital setae shorter than aggenital setae ag1 and ag3. Length ratio of setae g1:ag2 1:2.8–3. Setae ag1 1.2 times longer than ag2. Coxal fields I–IV punctate. Setae 3c 1.5 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 15–17 tines. Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III and IV subequal in length. Apodemes I fused to apodemes II in anterior part of apodemes II. Lengths of setae: vi 205–215, ve 310–315, si 325–395, se 405–410, c1 425, c2 390–395, d1 425, d2 395, e2 455, f1 185–190, f2 470–505, h1 340–350, h2 470–505, ps1 and ps2 55, g1 and g2 90–100, ag1 370–395, ag2 285–325, ag3 395, l’RIII 100–105, l’RIV 100, tc’III–IV 95–120, tc”III–IV 100–125, 3b 190–200, 3c 270.

MALE (6 specimens from type host species from Poland). Total body length 825–830. Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex with pair of blunt-ended protuberances. Each medial branch of peritremes with 4–5 chambers, each lateral branch with 13–16 chambers. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield lightly sculptured, apunctate, bearing bases of setae vi, ve, si, se and c1. Length ratio of setae vi:ve:si 1:1.2:5–6. Hysteronotal shield fused to pygidial shield, weakly sclerotized, with deeply concave anterior margin. Setae d2 twice as long as e2. Setae h2 about 7 times longer than f2. Coxal fields I–IV punctate. Setae 3c 1.5 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like seta p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 11–13 tines. Setae tc” of legs III and IV 1.5–1.8 times longer than tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 40–50, ve 50–60, si 240–245, se 240–245, c1 210–225, c2 260–285, d1 50–65, d2 100, e2 40, f2 40–45, h2 290–305, ag1 230, ag2 180, ag3 130, l’RIII 75–95, l’RIV 75–85, tc’III–IV 60–70, tc”III–IV 90–110, 3b 95–130, 3c 145–185.

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

Non-type material examined. Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus ( Passeriformes : Fringillidae ); 22 females, 8 males, 2 nymphs ( AMU –SYR.23) (pr.); POLAND, Zachodniopomorskie, Darlowko Wschodnie, Bukowo-Kopan , 8 May 1999, coll. M. Skoracki. Material deposited in the AMU, ZSM and ZISP. Same host species: 3 females; ENG- LAND, Bradley near Keighley (53°55’N, 1°59’W), 27 October 2005, coll. D. Farr. Material deposited in the NHML . Same host species: 1 female; RUSSIA, Novogrod Prov., Oskuy vill., 17 June 1999, coll. A.V. Bochkov. Material deposited in the ZISP . Same host species: 2 females, RUSSIA, Kaliningrad Pr., Rybachyi vill., 13 September 1982. Material deposited in the ZISP . Same host species: 5 females, 1 male; KAZAKHSTAN, Ongtustik Qazaqstan, Chockpak Ornithological Station , elevation 1134m. (42°30’45.2”N, 70°35’46.2”E), 18 October 2007, coll. A.V. Bochkov. Material deposited in the ZISP .

Host range and habitat. Monoxenous species inhabiting quills of primary feathers of Fringilla coelebs .

Distribution. Palaearctic: England, Poland, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Remarks. To date, this species has been recorded from several hosts. Fritsch (1956) reported it from Fringilla coelebs , Passer montanus and Hirundo rustica . Additionally, Kethley (1970) noted this apecies from Carduelis carduelis from Morocco. Unfortunately, Fritsch and Kethley’s slides from all above mentioned hosts are lost ( Kethley 1970; Dr. A. Baker (NHML), pers. comm.). Syringophilid species collected by us from these hosts do not correspond to data of above mentioned authors. Passer montanus is parasitized by Syringophilopsis passericus sp. nov., the second species, Hirundo rustica is infected by two syringophilid species of the genus Syringophilopsis : S. rusticus and S. hirundus , whereas Carduelis carduelis is inhabited by S. kirgizorum .

Figures

FIGURE 136. Syringophilopsis fringillae (Fritsch), female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

FIGURE 137. Syringophilopsis fringillae (Fritsch), male (A–C). A, dorsal view; B, peritreme; C, fan-like setae p’ of leg III. Female (D–F). D, hypostomal apex; E, peritreme; F, fan-like setae p’ of leg III. Scale bars: A = 100 µm; B–F = 20 µm.