Coronaviruses (Coronaviridae) of bats in the northern Caucasus and south of western Siberia.

INTRODUCTION: Bats are natural reservoirs of coronaviruses (Coronaviridae), which have caused three outbreaks of human disease SARS, MERS and COVID-19 or SARS-2 over the past decade. The purpose of the work is to study the diversity of coronaviruses among bats inhabiting the foothills and mountainous areas of the Republics of Dagestan, Altai and the Kemerovo region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples of bat oral swabs and feces were tested for the presence of coronavirus RNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: It has been shown that the greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), inhabiting the Republic of Dagestan, are carriers of two different coronaviruses. One of the two coronaviruses is a member of the Sarbecovius subgenus of the Betacoronavirus genus, which includes the causative agents of SARS and COVID-19. The second coronavirus is assigned to the Decacovirus subgenus of the Alphacoronavirus genus and is most similar to viruses identified among Rhinolophus spp. from European and Middle Eastern countries. In the Altai Republic and Kemerovo region, coronaviruses belonging to the genus Alphacoronavirus, subgenus Pedacovirus, were found in the smooth-nosed bats: Ikonnikov`s bat (Myotis ikonnikovi) and the eastern bat (Myotis petax). The virus from the Altai Republic from M. ikonnikovi is close to viruses from Japan and Korea, as well as viruses from Myotis spp. from European countries. The virus from the Kemerovo region from M. petax groups with coronaviruses from Myotis spp. from Asian countries and is significantly different from coronaviruses previously discovered in the same natural host.

A checklist of bat-associated macronyssid mites (Acari: Gamasina: Macronyssidae) of Russia, with new host and geographical records.

The family Macronyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) comprises mostly obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) and some other animals, such as small mammals, reptiles and birds. Here, we document and curate previously known data, and, based on our extensive survey, provide this article of bat-associated macronyssid mites of the Russian Federation. We record a total of 24 mite species belonging to 4 genera (Ichoronyssus, Macronyssus, Steatonyssus, and Cryptonyssus). Twenty-seven new host-parasite associations are reported. In addition, were provide data on five major Russian regions, for which bat-associated mite records were lacking.

[Fauna of Rare and Poorly Studied Ectoparasites of bats in Southern Siberia].

Forty-six chiropteran specimens from seven species have been captured on the territory of Southern Siberia. From them, 676 ectoparasites of 16 species (gamasid mites and insects) were collected. The bat fly Basilia mongolensis mongolensis Theodor, 1966 was found in Russia for the first time. The gamasid mites Spinturnix maedai Uchikawa et Wada, 1979 and Macronyssus hosonoi Uchikawa, 1979 have not previously been registered in Siberia. Several species have been recorded on new hosts. Three species of gamasid mites out of the genus Macronyssus are, probably, new to science. New data on the ecology of low-abundant and understudied bat species belonging to the Siberian-Far Eastern complex have been provided.

[NEW FINDINGS OF BAT ECTOPARASITES (CHIROPTERA: VESPERTILIONIDAE) IN SOUTHERN SIBERIA].

The data on new findings of ectoparasites (mites and insects) of bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Western Sayan and Tuva are represented. The bat fly Basilia mongolensis mongolensis Theodor, 1966 was discovered in the territory of Russia for the first time. Gamasid mite Spinturnix bregetovae Stanyukovich, 1995 is new for the region. New hosts were described for some ectoparasites.

Three New Bat Ectoparasite Species of the Genus Macronyssus from Western Siberia (with an Identification Key for Females of the Genus Macronyssus from the Palearctic Boreal Zone).

Three new gamasid mite species belonging to the genus Macronyssus Kolenati, 1858 (Acari: Macronyssidae), namely, Macronyssus sibiricus n. sp., Macronyssus stanyukovichi n. sp., and Macronyssus tigirecus n. sp., are described (females only; males, protonymphs, and larvae remain unknown). All species are known from Western Siberia and belong to the Siberian-Far Eastern bat ectoparasite fauna complex. The parasite hosts are the eastern water bat Myotis petax Hollister, 1912, and Hilgendorf's tube-nosed bat Murina hilgendorfi Peters, 1880 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). An identification key for females of the genus Macronyssus Kolenati, 1858, in the boreal Palearctic region is presented.

[New records of ectoparasites of the eastern water bat Myotis petax Hollister, 1912 (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera) and the revision of the previous material collected from Myotis daubentonii s. lato in Eastern Palaearctic].

New findings of ectoparasites from the eastern water bat Myotis petax Hollister, 1912, belonging to the Siberian-Russian Far Eastern complex and earlier attributed as a subspecies of the Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii s. lato, is given. Fourteen species of bloodsucking arthropods feed on M. petax; these species include 4, 3, and 7 species of gamasid mites, fleas, and bloodsucking flies, respectively.