Syringophilid mites parasitising the crows and the competitive exclusion principle.

ABSTRACT: Quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) are one of the most species-rich groups of mite ectoparasites permanently associated with birds, characterised by high host specificity and strict microhabitat preferences. In this study, we examined 179 individuals representing 19 species of the genus Corvus (Passeriformes: Corvidae) to investigate the prevalence and host associations of syringophilid mites. Quill mites were detected in 31 hosts from 11 host species, with infestations restricted exclusively to the wing coverts and involving two species: Syringophiloidus glandarii and Corvisyringophilus krummi. These mites exhibited mutually exclusive host distributions, with the vast majority of corvid species infested by only one of the two mite species. The phylogeneti

SUBMITTER: Skoracki M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12491569 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature