Cacatualges Dabert, Badek and Skoracki, 2007

Mironov, Sergey V., Ehrnsberger, Rainer & Dabert, Jacek, 2017, Feather mites of the genera Dubininia and Cacatualges (Acari: Xolalgidae) associated with parrots (Aves: Psittaciformes) of the Old World, Zootaxa 4272 (4), pp. 451-490 : 483

Genus Cacatualges Dabert, Badek and Skoracki, 2007

Type species: Cacatualges microdiscus Dabert, Badek and Skoracki, 2007 by original designation.

The genus Cacatualges was recently established for a single species, Cacatualges microdiscus Dabert, Badek and Skoracki, 2007 , found on cockatoos of the genus Cacatua Vieillot in the Australian region (Dabert et al. 2007). This genus is certainly close to Dubininia and Fainalges , but apparently is more derived in some morphological features. Its main discriminating features are a strong reduction of the ambulacral disc on tarsi II in both sexes and on tarsi III and IV in females, loss of the ambulacral disc on pretarsus IV and an entire pretarsus III in males. The reduction of ambulacral discs on tarsi II in both sexes and on tarsi III, IV in females is followed by strengthening and heavy sclerotization of the ambulacral stalks on these segments, which take a claw-like form. In males of the genus Cacatualges , the whole of tarsus III resembles a large claw ( Fig. 28 C).

The genus Cacatualges is apparently restricted to cockatoos ( Psittaciformes : Cacatuidae ). In the present paper we describe one new species from a cockatoo of the genus Probosciger Kuhl.

Figures

FIGURE 28. Cacatualges probosciger sp. n., legs of male. A—leg I, B—leg II, C—tibia and tarsus III, D—tibia and tarsus IV.