Interactive HTML-based Dichotomous Key to Female Rhinonyssidae
(Mesostigmata) from Birds in Canada
CJAI 09 January 25, 2010
doi: 10.3752/cjai.2010.09

Wayne Knee*, and Heather Proctor**

* Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Department of Biology, 209 Nesbitt Bldg, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6. wknee@connect.carleton.ca **University of Alberta, Department of Biological Sciences, CW 405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton AB, T6G 2E9. hproctor@ualberta.ca

Abstract:
           Several lineages of mites (Arachnida: Acari) inhabit the nasal and respiratory tracts of birds. The Rhinonyssidae (Mesostigmata) are the most diverse group of avian nasal mites. While surveying the nasal mites associated with birds of western Canada, we became aware of the need for an interactive, image-rich dichotomous key to the Rhinonyssidae of Canada. Using FrontPage we made the first HTML-based key to rhinonyssids, and the first key to the rhinonyssids of Canada. It covers 47 species of rhinonyssids, including five new species that were discovered during the course of the survey, and described in Knee (2008). For each species, information pages are provided including North American host records, diagnostic characters, a dorsal habitus image, and illustrated dorsal and ventral aspects.

Tinaminyssus melloi (Rhinonyssidae), ex. Rock Dove (Columba livia).

| Introduction | Materials and Methods | Results and Discussion | References | PDF 63.2 MB | Cite this Article |

| Key to Rhinonyssidae genera of Canada | Key to Rhinoecius species | Key to Rhinonyssus species |

| Key to Tinaminyssus species | Key to Sternostoma species | Key to Ptilonyssus species |