GBIF Taxonomic Backbone & Wikipedia Registry Profile
Etymology. This species is named after Dr. Terry D Galloway, who has tirelessly collected nasal mites and other bird-associated arthropods for many years, and has given me the opportunity to continue my studies of these unique mites. Remarks. The female of Sternostoma gallowayi sp. n. is most similar to those of S. sialiphilus Hyland and Ford, and S. loxiae Fain. These species each have two dorsal shields which are similar in extent and shape, enlarged and elongated ventrolateral and apical setae on tarsus II-IV, no setae in the unsclerotised dorsal podosomal integument, four pairs of setae in the ventral opisthosomal integument, two or less pairs of setae in the dorsal opisthosomal integument, and lack a postanal seta. Sternostoma sialiphilus has been collected from the bank swallow (Riparia riparia) in Canada, and the eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) in the United States (Hyland and Ford 1961, Knee et al. 2008). Sternostoma loxiae has been collected from the red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) in Canada and Belgium, from the American yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia), and mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) in Canada (Fain 1965, Knee et al. 2008, Knee and Galloway 2017). Female S. gallowayi can be distinguished from that of S. sialiphilus and S. loxiae by having eight pairs of setae and two pairs of pores on the podosomal shield, S. sialiphilus has nine pairs of setae, S. loxiae has seven pairs of setae; two pairs of setae and four pairs of pores on the opisthosomal shield, S. sialiphilus has one pair of setae and three pairs of pores, S. loxiae has three pairs of setae and two pairs of pores on the shield; two pairs of setae in the dorsal opisthosomal unsclerotised integument, S. sialiphilus and S. loxiae have one pair; paranal setae level with anus, S. sialiphilus and S. loxiae the paranal setae are posterior to the anus; baculiform ventrolateral and apical setae on tarsus II-IV which are not distally inflated, S. sialiphilus and S. loxiae have distally inflated ventrolateral and apical setae on tarsus II-IV. Sternostoma gallowayi differs specifically from S. sialiphilus by the presence of seta st 5 on the genital shield, which is absent in S. sialiphilus, and the absence of contiguous alveoli between the podosomal and opisthosomal shields which are present in S. sialiphilus. Sternostoma gallowayi differs specifically from S. loxiae by having slight reticulation lengthwise on the genital shield, this reticulation is well-developed in S. loxiae (Fain 1966 a). Comparisons were made using species descriptions from the literature and examining voucher material. Horned larks are not commonly submitted to wildlife rehabilitation hospitals in Manitoba. Only six specimens have been submitted since 1994, five of which were examined for nasal mites. Of these, two were infested with S. gallowayi.
