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Issue: Vol. 1252 No. 1: 6 Jul. 2006
Type: Articles
Published: 2006-07-06
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1252.1.2
Page range: 37–47
Abstract views: 57
PDF downloaded: 3

A new feather mite, Aetacarus elanoides sp. n. (Acari: Gabuci-niidae), from the Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus (Linnaeus) (Falconiformes: Accipitridae; Perninae)

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA 30460
Avian Research and Conservation Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA 32601
Acari Astigmata Pterolichoidea host-mite relationships bird raptor North America

Abstract

We describe a new species of the feather mite genus Aetacarus Gaud & Atyeo, 1975 from the norther n subspecies of the Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus forficatus (Linnaeus) (Falconiformes: Accipitridae) from the southeastern U.S.A. Aetacarus elanoides sp. n. differs from other described species in the genus by the following combination of features: male with terminal membranes as wide as or wider a t base than long and seta e h1 slightly spatulate a t tip; female with spatulate-mucronate seta e e2 and thick spine-like setae h1. This represents the first described feather mite from E. forficatus, and the first Aetacarus species described from a New World host.

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