Harpirhynchus Megnin, 1877

Bochkov, Andre V, Oconnor, Barry M. & Klompen, Hans, 2015, A review of the mite subfamily Harpirhynchinae (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) — parasites of New World birds (Aves: Neognathae), Zootaxa 4023 (1), pp. 1-130 : 13-14

Genus Harpirhynchus Megnin, 1877

Harpirhynchus Megnin, 1877 : clxix; 1878: 424, 428, 431, 436–441, pl. XXX; Berlese & Trouessart 1889: 137; Fain 1994: 111, 1995: 74; Fain et al. 1999: 39.

Harpyrhynchus Megnin, 1877: 429 ; Dubinin 1957: 101; Fritsch 1954: 177; Lawrence 1959b: 416; Moss et al 1968: 377; Fain 1972: 49.

Harpyrynchus Megnin, 1878: 421.

Harpirhyncus, Oudemans 1907: 75 .

Sarcoborus Oudemans, 1907: 73.

Type species: Sarcoptes nidulans Nitzsch, 1818 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Subcapitular setae n present or absent. Palp with full set of setae. Setae vF smooth. Idiosoma not flattened dorso-ventrally, elongate. Anterior part of propodonotum between peritrematal branches and striated cuticle smooth. Dorsal shield distinctly developed, entire, without ornamentation or finely ornamented. Dorsal idiosomal striae not accompanied by tubercles or verrucosities. Idiosomal venter weakly striated. Full set of idiosomal setae present, excluding h1 absent (setae 3a absent in some species). Setae vi, ve, and si not clustered; h2 whip-like, slightly thickened, smooth. Setae 3a (if present) situated close to vulvar pocket-like structure. Setae 1a and 3a (if present) not shorter than 1c, distantly separated from each other. Vulvar slit not longer than 1/3 of idiosomal length. Vulvar apodemes indistinct. Legs I and II inserted laterally; legs III and IV inserted ventrolaterally. Legs I and II not modified, consisting of 5 articulated segments, without basal lobes; their pretarsi bearing paired claws without basal angles and ciliated empodium. Tarsi and tibiae I and II with full complement of setae, genua I and II maximum with 3 setae (d, l ’, v’), setae d and v” absent in some species, femur with 2 setae (d and v), trochanter with 1 seta v. All leg setae smooth. Leg III consisting of 2 articulated segments; basal segment bearing 1–2 setae, apical segment bearing several setae. Leg IV consisting of 1 articulated segment bearing several setae.

MALE. Gnathosoma and idiosoma as in female. Genital opening situated in anterior part of dorsal shield. Genital setae 3 pairs. Penis situated posterior to genital opening, straight. Idiosomal and leg I and II setation as in female. Setae vi fine, smooth and short. Leg III consisting of 2 articulated segments. Leg IV consisting of 1 articulated segment.

Species included: Harpirhynchus dusbabeki Bochkov and Literak, 2006 , H. galeridae Fain, Bochkov and Mironov, 1999 , H. nidulans ( Nitsch, 1818) , H. quasimodo Bochkov and Mertins, 2010 .

Hosts: Passeriformes : Alaudidae ,? Corvidae , Fringillidae , Icteridae , Locustellidae , Panuridae .

Microhabitat: in skin cysts on body; female not remaining in tritonymphal skin.

Remarks. Fain et al. (1999) established the subgenus Pseudoharpirhynchus Fain, Bochkov and Mironov, 1999 for two species, Harpirhynchus agapornis Fain, 1972 (type species) and Harpirhynchus cylindripalpus Fritsch, 1954 within the limits of the genus Harpirhynchus . In this work, we transfer Harpirhynchus agapornis Fain, 1972 to the genus Harpyrhynchoides Fain, 1972 because morphological features of Harpyrhynchoides agapornis comb. nov. correspond best to those of species of the genus Harpyrhynchoides Fain, 1972 . The medially situated male genital opening of this species (the key diagnostic characteristic of the subgenus Pseudoharpirhynchus ) is also observable in some species of Harpyrhynchoides , for example, in H. columbae ( Fain, 1972) . Thus, the subgenus Pseudoharpirhynchus syn. nov., is an junior synonym of the genus Harpyrhynchoides . The unusual female features of H. cylindripalpus , i.e. the elongated palps, wide idiosoma , closely situated setae 1a and 3a, fusion of femur and genu of legs I and II, etc. make this species deserving of the generic status. A new genus Crassacarus gen. nov. is created for this species and five new species described in this work.