Available online 3 April 2024

This study documents four quill mite species in Birds-of-Paradise, indicating complex host-parasite dynamics.

The presence of mite genera typically associated with non-passerines on Birds-of-Paradise indicates host-switching events.

While some mites prefer closely related host genera, others infest phylogenetically distant hosts.

This study notes predominantly low prevalence and highlights specific habitat preferences of different mite species.

A network analysis reveals new insights into the ecological dynamics of the host-parasite relationships.

Mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) are permanent and obligatory parasites of birds. This study presents an analysis of mite material collected from 22 avian species belonging to the family Paradisaeidae (Passeriformes), revealing the presence of four mite species belonging to four genera: Syringophiloidus attenboroughi n. sp., Peristerophila regiusi n. comb., Picobia frankei, and Gunabopicobia garylarsoni. In the present work, the genus Neoperisterophila is synonymized with the genus Peristerophila. While the genera Syringophiloidus and Picobia were expectedly found on paradisaeid birds, given their prevalence in passerines, the presence of Peristerophila and Gunabopicobia was intriguing, suggesting potential host-switching events. The specificity of these mites varies, with some showing occurrence on hosts of closely related genera and others infesting phylogenetically distant hosts. Notably, the distribution of specific mite species on the Birds-of-Paradise appears to be influenced by both long coevolutionary histories and incidental contacts between often unrelated or intergeneric hybrid species of paradisaeid birds. Furthermore, our research of 104 specimens from 22 Birds-of-Paradise species shows generally low infestation rates across the studied species, suggesting a nuanced interaction between these mites and their avian hosts. Additionally, our network analysis provides a deeper understanding of these host-parasite interactions, revealing a high level of specialization and complexity in these ecological relationships.

Acariformes

Aves

Biodiversity

Ectoparasites

Paradisaeidae

Syringophilidae

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian Society for Parasitology.