Picobiinae Johnston and Kethley. 1973

Subfamily Picobiinae Johnston and Kethley, 1973

(Figs. 1–7)

Picobiinae Johnston and Kethley, 1973: 529; Casto 1977: 169 (Lobatinae); Fain et al. 2000: 34; Skoracki 2011: 326.

Type genus: Picobia Haller, 1878

Description. FEMALE. Gnathosoma. Hypostomal apex variable in shape, rounded, bumpy, tapering, flat. Peritremes M-, V-, Π- or U-shaped; peritremal branches (medial and lateral) with well visible chambers or borders between chambers indiscernible. Lateral hypostomal teeth present or absent. Movable cheliceral digit dentate or edentate on distal tip and on proximal end. Stylophore rounded posteriorly. Tibiotarsus of palps truncate. Palp setation: setae sul strongly reduced, setae acm, dTi, l’Ti, l”Ti, dG, l”G, dF, vF, l”F setiform, euphatidia ul’ and ul” rod-like. Idiosoma. Propodonotal region with 6 pairs of setae (vi, ve, si, se, c1, c2). Propodonotal shield entire or divided into 2–3 sclerites. Hysteronotal shield, if present, divided into 2 small sclerites situated near bases of setae d2. Pygidial shield, if present, entire or divided longitudinally. One pair of genital setae present or absent, pseudanal setal series with 1–2 pairs, agenital setal series with 3 pairs. Opisthosomal and genital lobes present or absent. Legs. Legs I and II thicker than III and IV. Apodemes of legs I and II free, apodemes I with or without thorn-like protuberances. Prorals setae p’ and p” stick-like, each with 2 minute tines. Paraxial and antaxial members of claws equal or unequal in size and shape. Solenidia ω I–II and σ I present, φ I present or absent. Leg setae l’RI and l’RII absent. Leg setae smooth or ornamented. Physogastric form with enlarged idiosoma, worm-, bulb-, campanulli-shaped in outline.

MALE. Characters as in female except: lateral hypostomal teeth absent; hysteronotal shield not fused to pygidial shield; hysteronotal region with 5 pairs of setae; genital and agenital setal series represented by 2 pairs.

Genera included. The subfamily includes 11 genera: Calamincola Casto, 1978, Columbiphilus Kivganov and Sharafat, 1995, Charadriineopicobia Skoracki et al., 2014, Gunabopicobia Skoracki and Hromada, 2013, Lawrencipicobia Skoracki and Hromada, 2013, Neopicobia Skoracki, 2011, Phipicobia Glowska and Schmidt, 2014, Picobia Haller, 1878, Pipicobia Glowska and Schmidt, 2014, Pseudopicobia Skoracki et al., 2012, and Rafapicobia Skoracki, 2011.

Distribution and host range. Members of this subfamily are known from all zoogeographical regions, except for Antarctica, and occupy wide spectrum of avian host: Charadriiformes, Columbiformes, Coraciiformes, Cuculiformes, Galbuliformes, Galliformes, Gruiformes, Passeriformes, Piciformes, Psittaciformes, and Pteroclidiformes.

Habitat. All species of this subfamily inhabit quills of contour feathers of the head, neck, breast, abdomen, and back regions, except representative of the monotypic genus Calamincola, i.e. C. lobatus Casto, 1977 inhabiting quills of flight feathers.