Systematic notes on two genera of the feather mite family Psoroptoididae (Astigmata: Analgoidea)

Abstract

Taxonomic corrections are made for two genera of the feather mite family Psoroptoididae (Astigmata: Analgoidea) based on re-investigation of type specimens. Megninia casuaricola Proctor, 2001 from the southern cassowary Causarius casuarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Casuariidae), the type species of the monotypic genus Hexacaudalges Mironov et Proctor, 2005 (Psoroptoidinae), is synonymized with Pteronyssus (Mesalges) characurus Trouessart, 1899. Therefore, the valid name for the type species of Hexacaudalges is now Hexacaudalges characurus (Trouessart, 1899) comb. n. The original collection (Trouessart 1899) of a single specimen of H. characurus on a museum specimen of the Pesquet s parrot, Psittrichas fulgidus (Lesson, 1830) (Psittacidae), is an obvious accidental contamination. The genus Cygnocoptes Fain et Bochkov, 2003, originally established within the family of house dust mites and allies (Pyroglyphoidea: Pyroglyphidae), actually does not belong to this family and is moved now to the subfamily Pandalurinae of the feather mite familyn Psoroptoididae. A new diagnosis in the standard format for pandalurines is proposed for the genus Cygnocoptes.