Diversity and Interactions between Picobiine Mites and Starlings

TL;DR

This study explores how quill mites interact with starlings across different regions, revealing specialized relationships and how bird behaviors influence mite prevalence.

Contribution

The study introduces a new species of quill mite and reveals modular host-parasite network structures in starling-mite interactions.

Findings

Five quill mite species were identified, including a newly described species, Picobia malayi.

The mite-host network showed low connectivity but high modularity, indicating specialized relationships.

Mite distribution aligned with starling phylogeny, with specific mites targeting certain starling clades.

Abstract

This study investigates the complex interactions between quill mites of the family Syringophilidae and starlings. We identified five species of quill mites infesting 24 species of starlings, uncovering intricate host–parasite dynamics across the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, and Oceanian zoogeographical regions. A detailed statistical analysis of the Picobiinae–Sturnidae network revealed low connectivity but high modularity, indicating specific relationships between the mites and their starling hosts. The network structure demonstrated four distinct modules, highlighting the specialised and compartmentalised characteristics of these associations. Furthermore, the distribution of Picobia mites was found to align with the phylogeny of their starling hosts, with particular mites targeting specific starling clades. The social and breeding behaviours of starlings were observed to contribute to the high prevalence of these mites. This comprehensive network analysis provides new insights into the ecological dynamics of host–parasite interactions.

The subfamily Picobiinae (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) comprises obligate and permanent parasites of birds found exclusively in the quills of contour feathers. We studied associations of picobiine mites with birds of the family Sturnidae (Aves: Passeriformes) across the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, and Oceanian zoogeographical regions. Among the 414 examined bird individuals belonging to 44 species (35.2% of all sturnids), 103 individuals from 24 species (54.5% of examined species) were parasitised by quill mites. The diversity of mites was represented by five species, including one newly described, Picobia malayi Patan and Skoracki sp. n. Statistical analysis of the Picobiinae–Sturnidae bipartite network demonstrated a low connectance value (Con = 0.20) and high modularity, with significant differences in the H2′ specialisation index compared to null model values. The network structure, characterised by four distinct modules, highlighted the specificity and limited host range of the Picobiinae–Sturnidae associations. The distribution of Picobia species among starlings was congruent with the phylogeny of their hosts, with different mites parasitising specific clades of starlings. Additionally, the findings suggest that the social and breeding behaviours of starlings influence quite a high prevalence. Finally, our studies support the validity of museum collections to study these parasitic interactions.

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