RHYTIDELASMA BICOSTATA, A NEW FEATHER MITE (ACARINA, PTEROLICHIDAE) FROM TWO SPECIES OF CONURES (AVES, PSITTACIDAE)1
Rhytidelasma bicostata, n. sp. (Pterolichoidea, Pterolichidae) is the only species of Rhytidelasma known from two allopatric species of conures, Aratinga canicularis (L.) and A. nana (Vigors) in Mexico and Central America. A related conure, A. holochlora (Sclater), is sympatric with the named host species in parts of its range; this parrot has three species of Rhytidelasma representing three morphotypes, one of which is the same as R. bicostata. The distributions of the hosts and Rhytidelasma are compared.
Contributor Notes
1Research supported by the National Science Foundation (BRS 85-07841 and INT 85-02081) and CONACYT (DAI)
2Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, U.S.A.
3Laboratorio de Acarologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México, D. F., México.