Yamasaki Youki K, Graves Emily E, Houston Robin S, OConnor Barry M, Kysar Patricia E, Straub Mary H, Foley Janet E, Tell Lisa A
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America.
Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2018 Feb 14;13(2):e0191323. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191323. eCollection 2018.
Proctophyllodes huitzilopochtlii Atyeo & Braasch 1966 (Acariformes: Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae), a feather mite, was found on feathers collected from five hummingbird species in California. This mite has not been previously documented on feathers from Anna's (Calypte anna [Lesson 1829]) or Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri [Bourcier & Mulsant 1846]) Hummingbirds. A total of 753 hummingbirds were evaluated for the presence of mites by species (Allen's n = 112; Anna's n = 500; Black-chinned n = 122; Rufous n = 18; Calliope n = 1), sex (males n = 421; females n = 329; 3 unidentified), and age (juvenile n = 199; after-hatch-year n = 549; 5 unidentified). Of these 753 hummingbirds evaluated, mites were present on the rectrices of 40.9% of the birds. Significantly more Anna's Hummingbirds were positive for rectricial mites (59.2%) compared with 8.2% of Black-chinned, 0.9% of Allen's, 5.6% of Rufous Hummingbirds, and 0% for Calliope (p-value < 0.0001). Across all hummingbird species, male hummingbirds (44.9%) had a higher prevalence of rectricial mites compared to female hummingbirds (36.2%; p-value = 0.004), while juvenile hummingbirds (46.2%) had a non-significantly higher prevalence compared to after-hatch-year hummingbirds (39.0%; p-value = 0.089). On average, the percentage of the long axis of the rachis occupied by mites for the outer rectrices (R4 and R5) was 19%, compared to 11% for inner rectrices (R1 and R2), a significant difference (p-value = <0.0001). There was a marginal lack of significance for symmetrical distribution of tail mites with the mean left side percentage of long axis of the rachis occupied by mites being 16% and very close to the mean right side score of 18% (p-value = 0.003). The identification of the feather mite species was based on light microscopic morphometry, and mite distribution on feathers was further evaluated using tabletop scanning electron microscopy (TSEM). The hummingbird-feather mite relationship is not well understood, but the specialized TSEM technique may be especially useful in examining natural positioning and developmental aspects of the mites since it allows in situ feather examination of live mites.
1966年发现的惠兹洛波奇特利原羽螨（Proctophyllodes huitzilopochtlii Atyeo & Braasch，蜱螨亚纲：粉螨目：原羽螨科）是一种羽螨，在从加利福尼亚州的5种蜂鸟采集的羽毛上被发现。此前尚未有关于安娜氏蜂鸟（Calypte anna [Lesson 1829]）或黑颏蜂鸟（Archilochus alexandri [Bourcier & Mulsant 1846]）羽毛上存在这种螨虫的记录。总共对753只蜂鸟进行了螨虫检查，按种类（艾伦氏蜂鸟n = 112；安娜氏蜂鸟n = 500；黑颏蜂鸟n = 122；棕煌蜂鸟n = 18；红玉冠蜂鸟n = 1）、性别（雄性n = 421；雌性n = 329；3只性别未鉴定）和年龄（幼鸟n = 199；出飞后年份的鸟n = 549；5只年龄未鉴定）分类。在这753只接受检查的蜂鸟中，40.9%的鸟的尾羽上有螨虫。安娜氏蜂鸟尾羽螨虫阳性率（59.2%）显著高于黑颏蜂鸟的8.2%、艾伦氏蜂鸟的0.9%、棕煌蜂鸟的5.6%以及红玉冠蜂鸟的0%（p值<0.0001）。在所有蜂鸟种类中，雄性蜂鸟（44.9%）尾羽螨虫感染率高于雌性蜂鸟（36.2%；p值 = 0.004），而幼鸟（46.2%）的感染率虽高于出飞后年份的鸟（39.0%），但差异不显著（p值 = 0.089）。平均而言，外侧尾羽（R4和R5）羽轴长轴被螨虫占据的比例为19%，而内侧尾羽（R1和R2）为11%，差异显著（p值 = <0.0001）。尾羽螨虫的对称分布略显缺乏显著性，羽轴长轴左侧被螨虫占据的平均比例为16%，非常接近右侧的平均比例18%（p值 = 0.003）。羽螨种类的鉴定基于光学显微镜形态测量，羽毛上螨虫的分布通过桌面扫描电子显微镜（TSEM）进一步评估。蜂鸟与羽螨的关系尚未完全了解，但专门的TSEM技术在检查螨虫的自然定位和发育方面可能特别有用，因为它允许对活螨虫进行原位羽毛检查。
