A new asymmetrical feather mite of the genus Michaelia Trouessart, 1884 (Astigmata: Freyanidae) from the Neotropical Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Pelecaniformes)

Author(s)

Hernandes, Fabio A. ^[1] ; Mironov, Sergey V. ^[2] ; Bauchan, Gary R. ^[3] ; Ochoa, Ronald A. ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, Ave 24-A, 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[2] Russian Acad Sci, Inst Zool, Univ Skaya Embankment 1, St Petersburg 199034 - Russia

^[3] USDA, Electron & Confocal Microscopy Unit, Beltsville Agr Res Ctr, Beltsville, MD 20705 - USA

^[4] USDA, Systemat Entomol Lab, Beltsville Agr Res Ctr, Beltsville, MD 20705 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ACAROLOGIA; v. 56, n. 1, p. 45-61, 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

Species of the feather mite genus Michaelia Trouessart, 1884 are notable for striking bilateral asymmetry in males, displayed in the structure of the anterior legs (both hetero- and homeomorphs) and the opisthosomal lobes (heteromorphs). A new species of this genus, Michaelia neotropica Hernandes and Mironov n. sp., is described from the Neotropical Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae) from Brazil. It differs from M. urile (Dubinin, 1953) by having a narrower incision on the inner margins of the opisthosomal lobes anterior to setae h1, and relatively longer legs I with the ambulacrum reaching the midlevel of elongated tarsus II. A key to heteromorphic males of the genus Michaelia is provided. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/50145-0 - Diversity and taxonomy of feather mites (Arachnida: Acari: Astigmata) on birds of Brazil
• Grantee: Fábio Rau Akashi Hernandes
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Young Investigators Grants