Phylogeny of quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata) based on their external morphology

Maciej SKORACKI,Andre V. BOCHKOV,Eliza GLOWSKA

doi:10.14411/eje.2013.090

Abstract

External morphological characters were used to reconstruct a phylogeny of the mite family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea), which are permanent parasites inhabiting the quills of bird feathers. A total of 53 syringophilid genera and 79 charac- ters were included in the data matrix; maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian analyses (BA) were performed to determine their phylogenetic relationships. The consensus of unweighted MP trees was weakly resolved. Only four generic groups were recognized: Aulonastus + Krantziaulonastus (i) and (Creagonycha + Kethleyana) + (Megasyringophilus + Selenonycha) (ii) - both with low Bremer support (BS 1); the subfamily Picobiinae - Picobia, Calamincola, Columbiphilus (Neopicobia + Rafapicobia) (BS 12) (iii) and Psittaciphilus generic group - (Meitingsunes + Psittaciphilus) (Peristerophila + (Neoperisterophila + (Castosyringophilus + Terratosyringophilus))) (BS 2) (iv). BA revealed a consensus tree with a topology similar to MP. The two main groups recognized by MP, the subfamily Picobiinae and Psittaciphilus, both received the highest support of 1; while two other groups recognized by MP - Aulonastus + Krantziaulonastus and (Creagonycha + Kethleyana) + (Megasyringophilus + Selenonycha) received relatively low support of 0.73-74 and 0.76-77, respectively. The consensus of re-weighted MP trees was almost fully resolved but, the majority of the generic groups, excluding the Picobiinae and Psittaciphilus were supported by just a few non-unique synapomorphies with a high probability of homoplastic origin. The most intriguing result is the paraphyly of the Syringophilinae in respect to picobii- nes. The pattern of the re-weighted tree demonstrates only patches of parallel evolution at the level of syringophilid genera and bird orders. Perhaps horizontal shifts on phylogenetically distant hosts and colonization of quill (calamus) types other than primaries and secondaries were also important in the evolution of the syringophilids.

Highlights

IntroductionMites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea) are permanent, highly specialized parasites of birds living inside the quill (calamus) of feathers
Perhaps horizontal shifts on phylogenetically distant hosts and colonization of quill types other than primaries and secondaries were important in the evolution of the syringophilids
Mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea) are permanent, highly specialized parasites of birds living inside the quill of feathers

Summary

Introduction

Mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea) are permanent, highly specialized parasites of birds living inside the quill (calamus) of feathers. They feed on the tissue fluids of the host by piercing the quill wall with their styletiform movable cheliceral digits. All representatives of the family have a distinctly elongated idiosoma with weakly sclerotized cuticle and relatively short legs. In these mites, reproduction and development take place inside the quills. The syringophilids infect newly developing quills via a natural opening in the quill wall – the umbilical plug “superior umbilicus”. Young fertilized females disperse, while males reproduce locally and die (Kethley, 1971)

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