Peristerophila columbae ( Hirst, 1920 )

Nattress, Barry & Skoracki, Maciej, 2009, A new species and further records of quill mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) parasitic on birds (Aves) in England, Zootaxa 2133, pp. 49-54 : 53

Peristerophila columbae ( Hirst, 1920)

This species was originally described as Syringophilus columbae by Hirst (1920) from Columba livia Gmelin. Kethley (1970) moved this species to the genus Peristerophila Kethley, 1970 . Up to now, P. c o l u m b a parasitizing the rock doves was reported from USA, Turkey, Iran, and India ( Kethley 1970; Bochkov & Mironov 1998). It has now been recorded from its type host in England.

Material examined. Three females and 4 nymphs from under greater coverts of the feral rock dove; England, West Ardsley near Leeds (53°43’N, 1°34’W), 12 June 2006, coll. B. Nattress. Six females and one larva from the axillaries of the same host from England, Darfield, South Yorkshire (53°32’N, 1°22’W), 12 July 2008, coll. A. Norman.