''Syringophilopsis'' (quill mites) is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evid ...

s that

parasitize Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...

the feathers of

passeriform A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines are distinguished from other orders of birds by th ...

birds.

Description

The quill mites are from the family Syringophilidae. Although little is known about these parasitic mites, 33 species have been discovered, most prevalently in North America. They are all

ectoparasites Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...

and they are usually found in birds from the order Passeriformes (comprising approximately 32 specific bird species). Their life cycle is simple since they are monoxenous organisms that sexually reproduce and eat within the feather of their hosts.

Morphology

The genus ''Syringophilopsis'' is one of the most diverse of this family with over 33 identified species. Females have harpoon finger-like digits in their

chelicerae The chelicerae () are the mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as " jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or simila ...

, three teeth in their hypostomal apex which is ornamented by 1 or 2 protuberances. In males, the hysteronotal shield can be present, absent, free or fused. Both genders possess a propodontal shield and they are both relatively large in comparisons of other mites in the family Syringophilidae.

Evolution

There is not a lot known about the diversification of quill mites. It is well studied that the specific host in which a parasite occupies directly influences the cospeciation between both organisms. Using RNA, Hendricks ''et al.'' determined that there is a degree a significant cophylogeny and cospeciation among ''Syringophilopsis'' species, however, it is not concrete. Statistically, what they specifically sought after in their analysis is the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene as well as nuclear ribosomal RNA gene.

Transmission

These mites are host specific but each species has a specific niche affecting the passeriform bird in specific ways. For instance, depending on the species, these birds can transmit into the specific host via their primary, secondary, and tertiary feathers. Quill mites specifically attach to their designated host via stabbing of the calamus wall with their anatomical feature called chelicerae.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q21222562 Trombidiformes Parasites of birds