Survey of nasal mites (Rhinonyssidae, Ereynetidae, and Turbinoptidae) associated with birds in Alberta and Manitoba, Canada

Three major lineages of mites (Arachnida: Acari) are parasitic in the nasal passages of birds: Rhinonyssidae (Mesostigmata), Ereynetidae (Prostigmata), Cytoditidae, and Turbinoptidae (Astigmata). The most diverse group of avian nasal mites is the Rhinonyssidae, which are obligate endoparasites of non-ratite birds worldwide. Prior to this study, there were only four published and three unpublished records of nasal mites from birds in Canada. In Alberta, 15% of 450 birds (154 species) examined during 2003–2007 were infested with nasal mites; in Manitoba, 16% of 2447 birds (196 species) examined during 1996–2006 were infested. We have expanded the known records of host – nasal mite species in Canada from 7 to 102, a 14-fold increase. There are now 50 species of Rhinonyssidae, 7 species of Ereynetidae, and 1 species of Turbinoptidae known from birds in Alberta and Manitoba. We predict that at least 70 species of rhinonyssid mites can be found in Canada. Résumé—Trois lignées principales d’acariens (Arachnides : Acari) sont parasites dans les passages nasaux des oiseaux : Rhinonyssidae (Mesostigmata), Ereynetidae (Prostigmata), Cytoditidae et Turbinoptidae (Astigmata). Le groupe le plus diversifié d’acariens nasaux aviaires sont les Rhinonyssidae, qui sont des endoparasites obligatoires des oiseaux autres que ratites dans le monde entier. Avant cette étude, il y avait seulement quatre mentions publiées ainsi que trois cas non publiés d’acariens nasaux des oiseaux au Canada. En Alberta, 15 % de 450 oiseaux (154 espèces) examinés entre 2003 et 2007 étaient infestés avec des acariens nasaux; au Manitoba, 16 % de 2447 oiseaux (196 espèces) examinés entre 1996 et 2006 étaient infestés. Cette étude fait passer la liste des mentions d’acariens nasaux sur un hôte aviaire au Canada de sept à 102, soit une augmentation de l’ordre de 14 fois. Il y a maintenant 50 espèces de Rhinonyssidae, 7 espèces d’Ereynetidae, et 1 espèce de Turbinoptidae connues associées aux oiseaux en Alberta et au Manitoba. Nous prévoyons qu’au moins 70 espèces d’acariens rhinonyssides peuvent être trouvées au Canada. Knee et al. 374 Introduction Mites are among the most diverse groups of symbionts associated with birds, with at least 40 families and approximately 3000 described species known from avian hosts (Proctor and Owens 2000). Representatives of almost all major mite groups have been collected from birds, including the normally soil-dwelling Oribatida (Krivolutsky and Lebedeva 2004), but most of the true bird associates are in the Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, and Astigmata (taxa traditionally ranked as suborders). Members of each of these groups can be found in the plumage or on the skin of birds and also inside their respiratory passages. There are at least 500 described species of avian nasal mites worldwide (Fain 1994). The most diverse group is the Rhinonyssidae (Mesostigmata), the members of which are obligate 364 Can. Entomol. 140: 364–379 (2008) © 2008 Entomological Society of Canada Received 28 January 2008. Accepted 16 March 2008. 1Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]). haematophagous endoparasites in the nasal passages of non-ratite birds worldwide. Rhinonyssids are distributed among eight genera, believed to have descended from ectoparasitic ancestors related to the Macronyssidae (Strandtmann 1948). They probably first evolved as parasites of bats and secondarily became parasites of reptiles, birds, and other mammals (Radovsky 1985). Rhinonyssid genera vary in their degree of host specificity, with some genera being restricted to one host family and others found in hosts from different orders (Pence 1973). In North America, genera with broad host ranges are Ptilonyssus (Berlese and Trouessart) (passeriform, caprimulgiform, falconiform, and apodiform hosts), Rhinonyssus Trouessart (anseriform, podicipediform, and charadriiform hosts), Sternostoma Berlese and Trouessart (passeriform, piciform, and charadriiform hosts), and Tinaminyssus Strandtmann and Wharton (ciconiiform and columbiform hosts). Among more host-specific rhinonyssids, Rhinoecius Cooreman species parasitize owls (Strigiformes), with each species generally occurring in a different species of owl; Rallinyssus Strandtmann species parasitize rails (Rallidae); and Larinyssus Strandtmann species parasitize gulls and terns (Laridae). Rhinonyssids are slow-moving, sluggish mites that occur predominantly in association with the nasal turbinates, a scroll of highly vascularized epithelial tissue, but some species invade the tracheal tissues, lungs, and body cavity (Porter and Strandtmann 1952; Krantz 1978). Feeding by rhinonyssids may cause trauma to the nasal epithelium (De-Rojas et al. 2002), but generally these mites are not considered to cause significant pathology to their hosts. The main exception is Sternostoma tracheacolum Lawrence, which invades the lower respiratory tract, lungs, and air sacs of the host (Stephan et al. 1950). Including captive and wild records, this mite has been reported to infest 37 species, 32 genera, and 11 families of birds (Bell 1996a). Captive birds are reported to experience more severe pathology than wild birds (Fain and Hyland 1962). The decline of the Australian endangered Gouldian finch, Erythrura gouldiae (Gould), may be the result of S. tracheacolum infesting wild birds from individuals originally held in captivity (Tidemann et al. 1992). Other taxa of avian nasal mites are much less diverse than the Rhinonyssidae. The Speleognathinae (Prostigmata: Ereynetidae) are tissue-feeding intranasal parasites of birds and mammals worldwide (Akimov et al. 2003). Only four genera of speleognathines are known from at least 11 orders of birds in North America: Boydaia Womersley, Neoboydaia Fain, Opthalomophagus Dubinin, and Astrida Fain. They are very active mites, and appear to have a hydrophobic cuticle, allowing them to move rapidly on top of the mucosal surface (Porter and Strandtmann 1952). Speleognathines are reported to occupy the anteroventral chambers of the nasal cavity (Akimov et al. 2003). Avian speleognathines are not known to cause any significant pathology to host individuals. Members of the family Turbinoptidae (Astigmata) are obligate tissue-feeding parasites, eating the corneous layers of the skin in the anteriormost portion of the nasal cavity (Fain 1994). Four genera of turbinoptids are known from birds in North America: Turbinoptes Boyd, Colinoptes Fain, Schoutedenocoptes Fain, and Congocoptes Fain (Pence 1973). These small sluggish mites are collected infrequently, but often occur in large numbers in particular host individuals (Porter and Strandtmann 1952). In North America, Turbinoptes is represented by one widespread species, T. strandtmanni Boyd, which parasitizes charadriiform birds (Pence 1973). Colinoptes is represented by one species, C. cubanensis Fain, known from the northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (L.) (Galliformes: Phasianidae). Schoutedenocoptes is represented by one species, S. americanus Fain and Hyland, collected from cuculiform birds. Congocoptes is represented by several species parasitizing piciform birds (Pence 1973). Turbinoptids are not known to cause significant pathology to host individuals. The Cytoditidae (Astigmata) is a small group represented by two genera and three species of tissue-feeding mites in North America. Cytonyssus troglodyti Pence and Cytodites therae Hyland have been collected from the nasal passages of troglodytid and cuculiform birds, respectively (Pence 1973). Cytodites nudus (Vizioli) feeds on host tissues in the lungs and air sacs of galliform hosts, occasionally causing chronic inflammation (Fain 1960; Fain and Hyland 1962). Nasal mites have been surveyed in many geographic locations, including Taiwan, Australia, Louisiana, Guatemala, and Texas, at prevalences of 16%–25% of host individuals examined (Hyland 1963; Maa and Kuo 1965; Domrow 1969; Pence 1973; Spicer 1984, 1987). There are no published survey results for Canada. Canadian records include only four published records: © 2008 Entomological Society of Canada Knee et al. 365