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Feather mites (Astigmata: Psoroptidia) parasitising the rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta (Montin) (Aves: Galliformes) in Iceland

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Abstract

Four new species of feather mites are described from the Icelandic rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta islandorum (Faber) in Iceland. These are Metamicrolichus islandicus n. sp., Myialges borealis n. sp. (Epidermoptidae), Strelkoviacarus holoaspis n. sp. (Analgidae) and Tetraolichus lagopi n. sp. (Pterolichidae). This is the first report on feather mites associated with the Icelandic rock ptarmigan. Brief comments on the systematics and biology of corresponding feather mite genera are given. For two species, originally described in Pterolichus Robin, 1868 (Pterolichidae), new combinations are proposed, i.e. Tetraolichus gaudi (Černý, 1971) n. comb. and T. microdiscus (Trouessart, 1887) n. comb.

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Acknowledgements

Facilities for processing the birds were provided by the North East Iceland Nature Center and the Lake Myvatn Nature Research Station. The following individuals assisted with the collection and processing of the birds: Adalsteinn Ö. Snaethorsson, Finnur L. Johannsson, Gudmundur A. Gudmundsson, Haukur Haraldsson, Isabel P. de Paz, Olöf G. Sigurdardottir, Thorkell L. Thorarinsson and Thorvaldur Th. Björnsson. Logistics were provided by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. The study was supported for KS by the Research Fund of the University of Iceland and for SVM by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant No 07-04-00426a). Comparative material used in the study belongs to the collection UFC ZIN No 2-2.20 (Zoological Institute, St Petersburg, Russia).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya quay 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia

    Sergey V. Mironov

  2. Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Experimental Pathology, Keldur, University of Iceland, 112, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Karl Skirnisson & Solrun Th. Thorarinsdottir

  3. The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Hlemmur 3, P.O. Box 5320, 125, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Olafur K. Nielsen

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  1. Sergey V. Mironov
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  2. Karl Skirnisson
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  3. Solrun Th. Thorarinsdottir
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  4. Olafur K. Nielsen
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Correspondence to Sergey V. Mironov.

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Mironov, S.V., Skirnisson, K., Thorarinsdottir, S.T. et al. Feather mites (Astigmata: Psoroptidia) parasitising the rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta (Montin) (Aves: Galliformes) in Iceland. Syst Parasitol 75, 187–206 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-009-9219-1

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