Avian Feather Mites (Acari: Astigmata) of Samsun, Turkey

Abstract

Feather mites are one of the most important symbionts of birds, living on the feather, inside the quill, and in and on the skin. Approximately 2500 mite species from two superfamilies, Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea, have been described. Here, the feather mite fauna of 196 individuals of 42 bird species from the Kizilirmak delta, Turkey, was investigated. We detected a total of 30 feather mite species belonging to 14 genera and 9 families: Alloptes aythinae (Alloptidae); Analges passerinus, A. spiniger, A. turdinus, Strelkoviacarus quadratus (Analgidae); Avenzoaria totani (Avenzoariidae); Freyana nyrocae (Freyanidae); Grallolichus minutus (Pterolichidae); Dolichodectes edwardsi, Joubertophyllodes modularis, Monojoubertia microphylla, Proctophyllodes cetti, P. clavatus, P. doleophyes, P. lusciniae, P. mesocaulus, P. rubeculinus, P. scolopacinus, P. sylviae, P. troncatus (Proctophyllodidae); Pteronyssoides striatus, Scutulanyssus hirundicola (Pteronyssidae); Temnalges mesalgoides (Psoroptoididae); Trouessartia inexpectata, T. jedliczkai, T. kratochvili, T. microcaudata, T. reguli, T. rubecula and T. trouessarti (Trouessartiidae). These feather mite species are all first records for Turkey. New host association records are also noted: Analges spiniger on Cettia cetti, and Dolichodectes edwardsi on C. cetti and Sylvia melanocephala.