North American host records:
Strigidae:
Bubo virginianus, Great Horned Owl (Strandtmann 1952; Pence 1975; Knee et al. 2008)
Diagnostic characteristics:
– subposterior pair of dorsal podosomal setae on posterior margin of podosomal shield,
and much < 70 µm long
– sternal shield with posteromedial projection, st1 and st2 on shield, and shielding extends anteriorly beyond st1
– paranal setae anterior to anal opening, and postanal seta present
Note:
– R. alifanovi, R. brikinboricus, R. grandis, and R. nycteae comprise the Rhinoecius “grandis” species complex. These four species are difficult to separate. In particular, the sternal shield morphology used to separate species is not always consistent across individuals for a particular species. I find host species to be the best character to delineate among these species.
References:
Knee, W., Proctor, H., and Galloway, T. 2008. Survey of nasal mites (Rhinonyssidae, Ereynetidae, and Turbinoptidae)
associated with birds in Alberta and Manitoba, Canada. Canadian Entomologist, 140: 364-379.Pence, D.B. 1975. Keys, species and host list, and bibliography for nasal mites of North American birds
(Acarina: Rhinonyssinae, Turbinoptinae, Speleognathinae, and Cytoditidae). Special Publications of the Museum
Texas Tech University, 8: 1-148.
Strandtmann, R.W. 1952. The mesostigmatic nasal mites of birds, III. New species of Rhinoecius from owls.
Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 54: 205-216.
