First record of Picobiinae mites (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) parasitising potoos (Aves: Nyctibiiformes), with description of a new species

Quill mites of the subfamily Picobiinae (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) are permanent ectoparasites living within the quills of feathers. Currently, the genus Gunabopicobia comprises eight described species that primarily infest pigeons and doves (Columbiformes), except for one species reported from birds-of-paradise (Passeriformes). In this study, we present the first record of Gunabopicobia parasitising potoos (Nyctibiiformes). Specimens of G. nyctibiae Skoracki & Patan n. sp. were collected from the Long-tailed Potoo Nyctibius aethereus in Brazil and the Common Potoo Nyctibius griseus in Colombia and Paraguay. The finding indicates an unusual host shift between phylogenetically distant avian clades. Moreover, the new species was found inhabiting the quills of small wing coverts, an atypical microhabitat within the Picobiinae subfamily, further suggesting the ecological flexibility of the Gunabopicobia lineage. This discovery has important implications for understanding host associations and ecological diversification within Picobiinae and highlights the need to re-evaluate host specificity patterns in the genus Gunabopicobia.