Trouessartia, Canestrini, 1899

Genus Trouessartia Canestrini, 1899

Type species: Dermaleichus corvinus Koch, 1841 , by subsequent designation ( Oudemans 1897).

With 160 species as of 2025, and including the two new species described herein, Trouessartia is the second largest genus of feather mites, only behind Proctophyllodes Robin, 1868 ( Analgoidea : Proctophyllodidae , 182 species) ( Mironov 2021a, 2021b, 2022, 2023; Gaud & Atyeo 1986, 1987; Mironov & Galloway 2019; Mironov & Chandler 2020; Mironov & Zabashta 2022; Mironov et al. 2021; Constantinescu et al. 2016a, 2016b, 2018, 2023 a,b, 2024; Mironov & González-Acuña 2013; Hernandes 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023; Hernandes & OConnor 2017; Hernandes & Valim 2015; Hernandes et al. 2022; Dmitryukov & Mironov 2023; Mironov & Dmitryukov 2025).The most important monograph on this genus is the work of Santana (1976), who provided redescriptions and references of nearly all the 70 species known by that time. Mironov (2022) provided uniform diagnoses for 11 species groups of Trouessartia , including a world checklist of species of this genus and their respective type hosts, and Hernandes (2022) provided a checklist of Trouessartia species from Brazil, including host species with undetermined Trouessartia species.

Trouessartia are generally medium to large sized acariform mites (~400-600 micrometers in length), and are mostly found on the dorsal surface of large wing and tail feathers (remiges and rectrices). They have a dorsoventrally flattened body, and the dorsum extensively covered with well sclerotized shields. Species of this genus occur mainly on passerines ( Passeriformes View in CoL ), and the few reliable records of species on non-passerines are all from the bird order Piciformes View in CoL : one species from African barbets ( Lybiidae View in CoL ) ( Gaud 1993), and two species from Neotropical woodpeckers ( Picidae View in CoL ) ( Hernandes 2014, Mironov & Bermúdez 2017). Although other bird groups have previously been reported as hosts of Trouessartia (e.g. Alcedinidae View in CoL , Anhingidae View in CoL , Apodidae View in CoL , Caprimulgidae View in CoL , Charadriidae View in CoL , Heliornithidae View in CoL , Psittacidae View in CoL ) ( Santana 1976; Enout et al. 2012), these are mainly one-time records and probably accidental contaminations, and do not constitute valid associations.