Potential drivers of Megninia ginglymura (Mégnin) distribution in poultry hens: rearing-system and oviposition microhabitat factors across humid and semi-arid regions.

Megninia ginglymura (Mégnin, 1877) (Acariformes: Analgoidea: Analgidae) is a common feather mite of laying hens and a potential contributor to plumage damage and reduced productivity, yet its population dynamics and microhabitat use remain insufficiently characterized under modern commercial conditions. We conducted a year-long assessment of M. ginglymura abundance and intra-host distribution across three major production systems (Automated, Californian (two localities), and Cage-free), situated along a tropical-semi-arid gradient in a major poultry-producing region Pernambuco, Brazil. Monthly sampling of hens revealed pronounced temporal fluctuations in mite abundance, with peak infestations occurring during discrete periods of the production cycle and varying among systems. Cage-free flocks consistently exhibited the lowest infestation levels, whereas Automated and Californian systems showed higher abundances during the early months of monitoring. Female mites were evenly distributed across the five body regions examined, but eggs showed a strong and statistically supported concentration on wing feathers in all systems. This represents the first quantitative demonstration of spatially structured oviposition in M. ginglymura, revealing a clear mismatch between female distribution and egg deposition. These results have both ecological and applied implications: they suggest active microhabitat selection during oviposition and identify the wing region as a particularly sensitive diagnostic target for surveillance. By integrating temporal dynamics, housing effects, and spatial organization on the host, this study advances the understanding of M. ginglymura ecology and provides practical guidance for monitoring strategies in modern laying hen production.