The lab has been actively studying the taxonomy, systematics and cospeciation of nasal mites for several years. These pages give a general overview of nasal mite systematics and our unpublished results.

The nasal mites of birds consist of four phylogenetically unrelated mite families:  Rhinonyssidae (suborder Mesostigmata), Speleognathidae (suborder Prostigmata), Turbinoptidae and Cytoditidae (suborder Astigmata).  All four are obligate parasites, with the Rhinonyssidae being blood feeders and the other three families apparently feeding on the tissues of their bird hosts (Pence, 1975).  Taxonomically the family Rhinonyssidae (8 genera, ~510 species) is the largest with the families Speleognathidae (22 genera, ~55 species), Turbinoptidae (10 genera, ~40 species), and Cytotitidae (2 genera, ~15 species) being relatively minor and infrequently encountered.

Most of our studies have been concerned with the family Rhinonyssidae, so the following pages emphasize this group.

General Biology

Taxonomic History

Described Genera

Cospeciation

References