Myobiid mites (Trombidiformes, Myobiidae) of the golden bat Mimon cozumelae from Mexico. Description of the male and tritonymph of Ioanella mimon and new records of Eudusbabekia mimon

The male and the tritonymph of Ioanella mimon are described for the first time parasitizing to Mimon cozumelae from Yucatan, Mexico. Male of I. mimon is characterized by the presence of legs I with the tibia and tarsus fused forming a small complex devoided of apical claws, legs II–IV with two claws, setae vi at level of anterior end of genital plate, genital plate rounded with an anterior projection, all intercoxal setae short; while the tritonymph is characterized by the presence of legs I unequal; legs II–IV with 2-1-1 claws, and posterior region of dorsal idiosoma with 3 pairs of cylindrical and toothed setae. Additionally, we include new locality and host records for Eudusbabekia mimon which was also found on M. cozumelae. Both species were described originally in association with Mimon bennettii at Bartica, Guyana

Ectoparasites and Other Arthropod Associates of Some Voles and Shrews From the Catskill Mountains of New York

Reported here from the Catskill Mountains of New York are 30 ectoparasites and other associates from 39 smoky shrews, Sorex fumeus, 17 from 11 masked shrews, Sorex cinereus, 11 from eight long-tailed shrews, Sorex dispar, and 31 from 44 rock voles, Microtus chrotorrhinus

Factors associated with diversity, quantity and zoonotic potential of ectoparasites on urban mice and voles

Wild rodents are important hosts for tick larvae but co-infestations with other mites and insects are largely neglected. Small rodents were trapped at four study sites in Berlin, Germany, to quantify their ectoparasite diversity. Host-specific, spatial and temporal occurrence of ectoparasites was determined to assess their influence on direct and indirect zoonotic risk due to mice and voles in an urban agglomeration. Rodent-associated arthropods were diverse, including 63 species observed on six host species with an overall prevalence of 99%. The tick Ixodes ricinus was the most prevalent species, found on 56% of the rodents. The trapping location clearly affected the presence of different rodent species and, therefore, the occurrence of particular host-specific parasites. In Berlin, fewer temporary and periodic parasite species as well as non-parasitic species (fleas, chiggers and nidicolous Gamasina) were detected than reported from rural areas. In addition, abundance of parasites with low host-specificity (ticks, fleas and chiggers) apparently decreased with increasing landscape fragmentation associated with a gradient of urbanisation. In contrast, stationary ectoparasites, closely adapted to the rodent host, such as the fur mites Myobiidae and Listrophoridae, were most abundant at the two urban sites. A direct zoonotic risk of infection for people may only be posed by Nosopsyllus fasciatus fleas, which were prevalent even in the city centre. More importantly, peridomestic rodents clearly supported the life cycle of ticks in the city as hosts for their subadult stages. In addition to trapping location, season, host species, body condition and host sex, infestation with fleas, gamasid Laelapidae mites and prostigmatic Myobiidae mites were associated with significantly altered abundance of I. ricinus larvae on mice and voles. Whether this is caused by predation, grooming behaviour or interaction with the host immune system is unclear. The present study constitutes a basis to identify interactions and vector function of rodent-associated arthropods and their potential impact on zoonotic diseases

New Records for Ectoparasites of Michigan Bats

During 1978, 1979, and 1981 ectoparasites of bats were collected in 16 counties of the Upper and Lower peninsulas in connection with an extensive study of Michigan bat populations (Kurta 1980, 1982). The two insect and five acarine species recovered include four new records for Michigan and two new host records for the United States. All are listed with comments on past records of Michigan bat ectoparasites

Influencia de los ácaros en la vehiculación de micosis cutáneas en micromamíferos

Tesi de Llicenciatura per a la obtenció del Grau de Farmàcia. Facultat de Farmàcia. Universitat de Barcelona. Director: Montserrat Portús Vinyeta. 1981

Ectoparasite Community Structure of Two Bats (Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis) from the Maritimes of Canada

Prevalence of bat ectoparasites on sympatric Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis was quantitatively characterized in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick by making systematic collections at swarming sites. Six species of ectoparasite were recorded, including Myodopsylla insignis, Spinturnix americanus, Cimex adjunctus, Macronyssu scrosbyi, Androlaelap scasalis, and an unknown species of the genus Acanthophthirius. Male M. lucifugus and M. septentrionalis had similar prevalence of any ectoparasite (22% and 23%, resp.). Female M. lucifugus and M. septentrionalis had 2-3 times higher prevalence than did conspecific males (68% and 44%, resp.). Prevalence of infection of both genders of young of the year was not different from one another and the highest prevalence of any ectoparasite (M. lucifugus 64%, M. septentrionalis 72%) among all bat groups. Ectoparasite prevalence and intensity varied positively with roost group size and negatively with grooming efficacy and energy budgets, suggesting that these variables may be important in ectoparasite community structure

Geographic distribution and composition of the parasite assemblage of the insectivorous bat, Miniopterus natalensis (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae), in South Africa

Includes bibliographical references.All free-living animal species have their own unique parasite assemblages. These parasites can have a significant impact on the fitness and ecology of their hosts, and through them the ecological systems in which they occur. Gaining knowledge about these parasites offers important information on the biology, systematics and phylogenies of their hosts. During this study the following were collected: flea, fly, mite, tick and helminth species from 96 Natal Long-Fingered bat (Miniopterus natalensis Smith, 1834) individuals sampled from seven localities across South Africa. This study aimed to both identify the species forming part of this parasite assemblage, and attempted to explain the distribution of the parasites and the factors influencing it

PLoS One

Bartonellae are phylogenetically diverse, intracellular bacteria commonly found in mammals. Previous studies have demonstrated that bats have a high prevalence and diversity of Bartonella infections globally. Isolates (n = 42) were obtained from five bat species in four provinces of Thailand and analyzed using sequences of the citrate synthase gene (gltA). Sequences clustered into seven distinct genogroups; four of these genogroups displayed similarity with Bartonella spp. sequences from other bats in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Thirty of the isolates representing these seven genogroups were further characterized by sequencing four additional loci (ftsZ, nuoG, rpoB, and ITS) to clarify their evolutionary relationships with other Bartonella species and to assess patterns of diversity among strains. Among the seven genogroups, there were differences in the number of sequence variants, ranging from 1-5, and the amount of nucleotide divergence, ranging from 0.035-3.9%. Overall, these seven genogroups meet the criteria for distinction as novel Bartonella species, with sequence divergence among genogroups ranging from 6.4-15.8%. Evidence of intra- and intercontinental phylogenetic relationships and instances of homologous recombination among Bartonella genogroups in related bat species were found in Thai bats.28727827PMC551921

Ectoparasite Presence in Select Northcentral Kansas Bat Species

Working with other graduate students on a grant given to Fort Hays State University, from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, I looked at presence and species of ectoparasites on bat species. The main goal of our grant was to quantify and qualify the status of the northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in the state of Kansas, and to record data on any bycatch. I worked on our grant in the summer field seasons of 2016 and 2017, May to October, as described by the Indiana bat protocol. Bats were captured by using mist nets set over ponds, small streams, and rivers in northcentral Kansas. I chose sites by using a combination of historical and acoustic data. I mist netted 61 nights in the field season of 2016, and 47 nights in the field season of 2017. Over the field seasons of 2016 and 2017, I captured the following bat species: Eptesicus fuscus, Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus cinereus, Myotis septentrionalis, Nycticeius humeralis, and Perimyotis subflavus. Only the evening bat, N. humeralis, was captured in numbers large enough to run statistical analyses. I compared the presence of ectoparasites between adults and juveniles, males and females, male reproductive status, and female reproductive status. When compared, adults had a significantly lower presence of ectoparasites than juveniles did (X2 = 47.38, d.f. = 3, p = 0.00001). Only 33% of adult N. humeralis had ectoparasites, while 76% of juveniles had ectoparasites. Males had 72% ectoparasite presence while females only had 41% ectoparasite presence (X2 = 15.03, d.f. = 3, p = 0.01792). When males were compared based on their reproductive status there was no statistically significant difference in rates of ectoparasite presence (X2 = 2.11, d.f. = 3, p = 0.549328). Reproductive males had 62% ectoparasite presence and non-reproductive males had 82% ectoparasite presence. Female reproductive status was split into four separate categories; pregnant, lactating, post-lactating, and non-reproductive. Pregnant females had 24% ectoparasite presence, lactating females had 40% ectoparasite presence, and post-lactating and non-reproductive females both had 46% ectoparasite presence (X2 = 7.42, d.f. = 7, p = 0.38622). Of the ectoparasites collected on N. humeralis, 82% were mites, 13% were cimicids, 0.15% were chewing lice, and 5% were unable to be identified