Myialges trinotoni (Acariformes: Epidermoptidae), a hyperparasitic mite infesting Trinoton querquedulae (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) on waterfowl

Abstract

AbstractMites of the family Epidermoptidae (Acariformes) are permanent parasites dwelling on or in the skin of birds. Myialges Trouessart species are epidermoptids that have a hyperparasitic relationship with chewing lice (Phthiraptera) or louse flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae). During 1993–2016 in Manitoba, Canada, 668 ducks (20 species), geese (five species), and swans (two species) were examined for lice. A total of 157 males, 191 females, and 539 nymphs of the menoponid louse Trinoton querquedulae (Linnaeus) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) were collected, of which 25 adult lice from three hosts (Mergus merganser Linnaeus, Lophodytes cucullatus (Linnaeus), Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus; Aves: Anatidae) were infested with 38 female Myialges trinotoni (Cooreman). Overall prevalence and intensity of M. trinotoni was low, and mites showed no statistically significant preference between male and female lice. Myialges trinotoni is recorded from Canada (Manitoba) and United States of America (Alaska) for the first time, and two novel avian host species records (Lophodytes cucullatus and Anas platyrhynchos) are reported. The male of M. trinotoni (loose in bird washing) is illustrated and described. The barcode region of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was amplified from M. trinoton and compared with that of Myialges caulotoon Speiser, the only congeneric species for which COI is available, and interspecific divergence was high (25%).