Parasitism, seasonality, and diversity of trombiculid mites (Trombidiformes: Parasitengona, Trombiculidae) infesting bats (Chiroptera) in Poland. 2022

Paula Zajkowska, and Joanna Mąkol
Department of Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 5b, 51-631, Wrocław, Poland. paula.zajkowska@upwr.edu.pl.

The study aims to ascertain the diversity of trombiculid species associated with Chiroptera in Poland, and for the first time in the case of research on Central European Trombiculidae, we use both DNA and morphology in an integrative taxonomic approach to determine species identities of trombiculids. The research was carried out from 2015 to 2019. In total, 2725 larvae were collected from 300 specimens of bats belonging to 11 species. Deutonymphs were obtained through laboratory rearing of larvae; few larvae and deutonymphs were collected also from bats' daily roosts. The presence of trombiculid larvae on hosts was observed between July and April of the following year, with the highest numbers recorded in autumn, during bat swarming. Male bats were infested more often than females (16.4 vs. 6.6%). The highest infestation rate was recorded for Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis nattereri and Plecotus auritus, and the highest prevalence of chiggers (> 30%) for Myotis bechsteinii and P. auritus. The larvae found on bats occupied the areas with free access to the host's skin: auricles, tragus, and snout. Morphological identification of specimens to the species level was hindered by the mosaic distribution of diagnostic traits. Morphological analyses indicated the presence of Leptotrombidium russicum and Leptotrombidium spp. in the examined material, whereas molecular analyses additionally suggested three other potential species assigned to the same genus based on the assessed scope of intrageneric variation (ASAP method). We argue that the identification of the parasitic larvae (chiggers) using morphological characters does not address the question of actual species boundaries, which, in turn, affects the inferences about host specificity and host range.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008924 Mite Infestations Infestations with arthropods of the subclass ACARI, superorder Acariformes. Acariasis,Mange,Infestation, Mite,Infestations, Mite,Mite Infestation
D011044 Poland A country in central Europe, east of Germany. The capital is Warsaw. Polish People's Republic,Republic of Poland
D002685 Chiroptera Order of mammals whose members are adapted for flight. It includes bats, flying foxes, and fruit bats. Bats,Flying Foxes,Horseshoe Bats,Pteropodidae,Pteropus,Rhinolophus,Rousettus,Bat, Horseshoe,Bats, Horseshoe,Foxes, Flying,Horseshoe Bat
D005260 Female Females
D000053 Acari A large, subclass of arachnids comprising the MITES and TICKS, including parasites of plants, animals, and humans, as well as several important disease vectors.
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014324 Trombiculidae Family of MITES in the superfamily Trombiculoidea, suborder Prostigmata, which attack humans and other vertebrates, causing DERMATITIS and severe allergic reactions. Chiggers, red bugs, and harvest mites commonly refer to the larval stage of Trombiculid mites, the only parasitic stage of the mite's life cycle. Chiggers,Harvest Mites,Leptotrombidium,Neotrombicula,Red Bugs,Trombicula,Trombiculid Mites,Eutrombicula,Bug, Red,Bugs, Red,Chigger,Eutrombiculas,Harvest Mite,Leptotrombidiums,Mite, Harvest,Mite, Trombiculid,Mites, Harvest,Mites, Trombiculid,Neotrombiculas,Red Bug,Trombiculas,Trombiculid Mite

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