Quill Mites Parasitising African Shrikes: New Host Records and Distributional Insights Into Host and Habitat Specificity

Background Quill mites of the family Syringophilidae are permanent ectoparasites inhabiting the lumen of avian feather quills and exhibiting high host and microhabitat specificity. Despite the broad geographic distribution and ecological diversity of shrikes (Laniidae), their syringophilid fauna has received insufficient study. Methods We examined 288 museum specimens representing 13 shrike species (genera Lanius , Urolestes and Corvinella ) from the Afrotropical region. Mites were extracted from feather quills, identified morphologically and analysed with respect to host associations, microhabitat preferences, prevalence and evolutionary patterns of host–parasite relationships. Results Five syringophilid species belonging to three genera, Syringophilopsis , Syringophiloidus and Aulonastus , were recorded from eight host species. Several new host and locality records substantially expanded the known distribution of quill mites in Laniidae. All recorded species were oligoxenous and showed strict feather‐type specificity. Two phylogenetically distinct lineages of Syringophilopsis were found on closely related shrike hosts. No representatives of the subfamily Picobiinae were detected. Prevalence ranged from 2.5% to 25.0%. Conclusions The distribution patterns of syringophilid mites associated with shrikes suggest a complex evolutionary history that cannot be explained by a single process and likely involves ancestral host tracking, secondary colonisation and lineage sorting, with some associations potentially reflecting cospeciation. Additionally, the absence of representatives of Picobiinae may reflect historical constraints in host–parasite associations or limited colonisation and persistence of body‐feather specialists in shrikes. All recorded species exhibited strict feather‐type specificity, highlighting microhabitat specialisation as a key factor structuring shrike–quill mite associations. The generally low prevalence observed in shrikes is likely related to their predominantly solitary behaviour, which may limit opportunities for direct transmission of these permanent and highly host‐specific parasites. These findings provide a basis for future studies on the coevolutionary relationships between corvid birds and their syringophilid mites.