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Issue: Vol. 1719 No. 1: 5 Mar. 2008
Type: Article
Published: 2008-03-05
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1719.1.2
Page range: 41–52
Abstract views: 264
PDF downloaded: 179

Glaucalges tytonis sp. n. (Analgoidea, Xolalgidae) from the barn owl Tyto alba (Strigiformes, Tytonidae): compiling morphology with DNA barcode data for taxon descriptions in mites (Acari)

Department of Animal Morphology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Institute of Nature Conservation and Environmental Education, University of Vechta, D-49377 Vechta, Germany
Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Acari cryptic species DNA barcoding COI molecular taxonomy morphological description new species

Abstract

Typical (re)descriptions of feather mite species are based on characteristics of external morphology and of internal sclerotized structures visible in cleared specimens. We propose extending this standard by including sequence data of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene fragment (DNA barcode region chosen by the Consortium for the Barcode of Life). We describe a method of nondestructive DNA isolation, which leaves the feather mite exoskeleton intact for subsequent morphological analysis. Description of a new feather mite species Glaucalges tytonis (Analgoidea, Xolalgidae) from the plumage of the barn owl Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769) (Strigiformes, Tytonidae) is presented as an example of the new procedure that may be implemented both for feather mites as well as for other groups of Acari.

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