<i>Corvisyringophilus</i>, a New Genus in the Family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) and Its Phylogenetic Position among Primitive Genera

Abstract

Syringophilidae is one of the most species-rich families in the superfamily Cheyletoidea, comprising approximately 420 species across 62 genera and two subfamilies. In this paper, we propose a new genus, Corvisyringophilus, and a new species, C. krummi gen. n. et sp. n., found in the wing covert quills of the Common Raven, Corvus corax Linnaeus, in Iceland. Corvisyringophilus is placed among the primitive genera of syringophilid mites, which possess the full complement of idiosomal and leg setae. Phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters suggests that this genus forms a sister clade to Blaszakia Skoracki & Sikora, 2008, and Charadriphilus Bochkov & Mironov, 1998, which inhabit birds of the orders Musophagiformes and Charadriiformes, respectively. The study proposes that the current distribution patterns of quill mites, based on their morphological characteristics, may result from multiple host switching followed by co-speciation events, highlighting the complex evolutionary dynamics within this family.

Keywords

• Acari
• birds
• ectoparasites
• <i>Corvus</i>
• quill mites
• raven