Sternostoma sialiphilus n. sp. (Acarina: Rhinonyssidae) from the Nasal Cavities of the Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis (Linnaeus)

Abstract

Four specimens of the Eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis (Linnaeus), family Turdidae, from the vicinity of the Kellogg Gull Lake Biological Station, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, were examined for nasal mites. One bird had two female mites, another was infested with three female mites. These mites represent a new species of Sternostoma Berlese and Trouessart, 1889, and are described herein. With this description the number of species in the genus Sternostoma known to occur on the North American continent is increased to seven. Of these, Sternostoma spatulatum Furman, 1957, from the olive-backed thrush (Hylocichla ustulata (Tschudi)) is the only other species of this genus reported from birds of the family Turdidae. Variation in paratypes is given in parentheses. The measurements recorded are in microns.