Compositional turnover in ecto- and endoparasite assemblages of an African bat, Miniopterus natalensis (Chiroptera, Miniopteridae): effects of hierarchical scale and host sex.

We studied the compositional turnover in infracommunities and component communities of ecto- and endoparasites infesting a bat, Miniopterus natalensis (Chiroptera, Miniopteridae), across seven sampling sites using the zeta diversity metric (measuring similarity between multiple communities) and calculating zeta decline and retention rate (both scales) and zeta decay (component communities). We asked whether the patterns of zeta diversity differ between (a) infracommunities and component communities; (b) ecto- and endoparasites and (c) subsets of communities infecting male and female bats. The pattern of compositional turnover differed between infracommunities and component communities in endoparasites only. The shape of zeta decline for infracommunities indicated that there were approximately equal probabilities of ecto- and endoparasitic species to occur on/in any bat individual within a site. The shape of zeta decline for component communities suggested the stochasticity of ectoparasite turnover, whereas the turnover of endoparasites was driven by niche-based processes. Compositional turnover in component communities of ectoparasites was more spatially dependent than that of endoparasites. Spatial independence of compositional turnover in endoparasites was due to subcommunities harboured by female bats. We conclude that the patterns of compositional turnover in infracommunities were similar in ecto- and endoparasites, whereas the patterns of turnover in component communities differed between these groups.

Evidence of cryptic speciation in mesostigmatid mites from South Africa.

Laelaps giganteus and Laelaps muricola (Mesostigmata; Laelapidae) are widespread and locally abundant host generalists on small mammals in southern Africa. The large host range and complex life history of these ectoparasites may allude to possible intraspecific cryptic diversity in these taxa. To assess genetic and morphological diversity in L. giganteus and L. muricola, we sampled 228 rodents at eight localities in South Africa. This sample included nine previously recorded host species and on these, L. muricola was only recorded from Mastomys natalensis and Micaelamys namaquensis while L. giganteus was found on Rhabdomys dilectus and Lemniscomys rosalia. Phylogenetic analyses of partial mtDNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear ITS1 data strongly supported the recognition of L. giganteus and L. muricola, a scenario partly supported by the Tropomyosin intron. Strong support for evolutionary distinct lineages within L. giganteus is found: L. giganteus lineage 1 is confined to R. dilectus and L. giganteus lineage 2 is confined to L. rosalia. These host specific monophyletic lineages were also separated by 9.84% mtDNA sequence divergence and 3.44% nuclear DNA sequence divergence. Since quantitative morphometric analyses were not congruent with these findings, these two lineages more than likely represent cryptic species.

A revision of the genus Extenuipalpus Reck, 1959 (Trombidiformes: Tetranychoidea: Tenuipalpidae), with description of a new species.

Extenuipalpus is reviewed, covering its taxonomic history, a new genus diagnosis, body and leg chaetotaxy, and redescriptions of the three previously known species E. niekerkae (Meyer, 1979), E. quadrisetosus (Lawrence, 1940) and E. sagittus (Meyer, 1993) based on type material. We also describe a new species, E. situngu Beard & Ueckermann sp. nov. from glossy forest grape, Rhoicissus rhomboidea (E. Mey ex Harv.) Planch. (Vitaceae), and provide a key to species of Extenuipalpus.

New species of Hypoaspis Canestrini and Coleolaelaps Berlese (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) associated with Polyphylla olivieri Castelnau (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Iran .

White grubs, including Polyphylla olivieri Castelnau, are among the most economically important pests of orchard trees and other crops such as potato and sugar beet. The larvae feed on the roots of the host plants and their adults feed on the leaves. Several types of organisms are parasitic or phoretic on this pest, including three species of mites from Iran. Two new species of mites, namely Hypoaspis (Hypoaspis) surii n. sp. and Coleolaelaps massoumii n. sp. are described here from the adults of P. olivieri in Hamedan, Iran. Hypoaspis polyphyllae Khanjani & Ueckermann was previously described from the larva of this species of beetle.

A review of Amblypalpus and Priscapalpus (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae), including two new species of Amblypalpus from Iran.

Two new species of Amblypalpus (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) are described from Iran: Amblypalpus iraniensis sp. nov., from Wild Almond, Amygdalus scoparia (Rosaceae), and Amblypalpus thymus sp. nov., from Common Thyme, Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae). The new species are classified tentatively in Amblypalpus. The species Priscapalpus thomissus Meyer, 1979 is transferred to Amblypalpus and the genus concept of Priscapalpus is narrowed and therefore redefined. Similarly, we present an expanded concept of Amblypalpus. A key to brevipalpine genera and Amblypalpus species is provided.

A new species of the genus Brachytydeus Thor sensu André (Acari: Tydeidae) and a key to all known species from Peru.

Brachytydeus juanjosei sp. nov., a new species of Neotropical Tydeidae, is illustrated and described from females, males, and a tritonymph collected from the leaves of a native forest tree, Neltuma piurensis (Fabaceae), from Department of Piura in north-western Peru. The new tydeid mite was found all year long, but more frequently observed during spring in high populations (September/December). A key to the known Peruvian species of the subfamily Tydeinae is provided.

Some free-living laelapid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) from Tristan da Cunha and Nightingale Islands, with description of a new species of Gaeolaelaps Evans amp; Till (Acari: Laelapidae) and the first afrotropical record of the genus Nidilaelaps Shaw.

This paper reports on four species of free-living mites of the family Laelapidae from Tristan da Cunha and Nightingale Islands: Cosmolaelaps claviger (Berlese), Gaeolaelaps aculeifer (Canestrini), G. furcatus sp. nov., and Nidilaelaps annectans (Womersley). The new species has the unique character states of the paradactyli on pretarsi IIIV being very elongated and the pulvillar lobe well developed in shape of a fork on ambulacra IIIV. The genus Nidilaelaps Shaw is here reported for the first time from Afrotropical realm.

A review of the family Alycidae (Acari, Acariformes) from South Africa.

A taxonomic study of the family Alycidae G. Canestrini Fanzago in South Africa revealed nine species of which seven are new to science: Alycus augrabiensis sp. nov., Pachygnathus nasutus sp. nov., Amphialycus acaciae sp. nov., A. adustus sp. nov., A. mayteni sp. nov. (Alycini); Laminamichaelia furcula sp. nov. (Bimichaeliini); and Proteromichaelia sila gen. et sp. nov. (Proteromichaeliini trib. nov.). The four previously known species of Alycidae are redescribed: Amphialycus oblongus (Halbert, 1920), Laminamichaelia shibai nom. nov. (=B. ramosus Shiba, 1976, nom. preocc.), Petralycus longicornis Theron, 1977 and P. brevicornis Theron, 1977. Keys to tribes of the family Alycidae and to genera and species recorded in South Africa are provided.

A new species of Cenopalpus Pritchard & Baker (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from Japan, with ontogeny of chaetotaxy and a key to the world species.

A new species of flat mite, Cenopalpus umbellatus sp. nov. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) is described and illustrated based on females, males, deutonymphs, protonymphs and larvae. The morphological ontogeny in idiosomal and leg chaetotaxy is briefly described for all stages. Mite specimens were collected from the leaves of Rhaphiolepis indica var. umbellata Makino (Rosaceae), an evergreen shrub native to Japan. An identification key to the world species of Cenopalpus is also provided.

Surveys and Literature Review of Parasites among African Mole-Rats: Proposing Hypotheses for the Roles of Geography, Ecology, and Host Phylogenetic Relatedness in Parasite Sharing.

Hosts that overlap geographically, are less phylogenetically divergent, and/or share similar ecological conditions (e.g., climate, habitat type) are also likely to share parasites. Here we assessed the ectoparasite communities sustained by 3 solitary species of Bathyergidae (Georychus capensis, Bathyergus suillus, and Bathyergus janetta) as well as the endoparasites exploiting G. capensis and compared them with those reported in the literature for other sympatric and parapatric African mole-rat species. In addition to 1 nematode ( Trichuris sp.) and 1 symbiotic ciliate (Meistoma georychi), we collected mites of the genera Androlaelaps and Bathyergolichus as well as unidentified trombiculids from these hosts. Host specificity was high at either the species, genus, or family level for Androlaelaps spp. and Bathyergolichus spp. irrespective of geographic proximity, host phylogeny, or ecological conditions. Host sharing was more limited for helminths but observed among sympatric host species. Our results suggest that ecological similarity and geographic proximity may be more important determinants of host sharing than phylogeny within Bathyergidae.

New species of Hexabdella and Neomolgus (Acari: Prostigmata: Bdellidae) from Iran.

A new species of Hexabdella Van der Schyff, Theron & Ueckermann (Acariformes: Bdellidae), H. quercusi Eghbalian, Khanjani, Safaralizadeh, Ueckermann sp. nov., and a new species of Neomolgus Oudemans, N. iraniensis Eghbalian, Khanjani, Safaralizadeh, Ueckermann sp. nov., are described and illustrated. A key is provided for adult females of all known species of Hexabdella, as well as for adult females of Neomolgus from Asian and neighbouring countries, including Iran, Japan and the Siberian region of Russia. All specimens were collected from soil and litter under oak trees, Quercus brantii Lindley (Fagaceae), or from soil and litter under wild almond, Amygdalus scoparia L. (Rosaceae), from western Iran.

A New Species of Zambedania (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Pygmephoridae) from the Two Rivers Platinum Mine in South Africa and Notes on the Life-cycle of the Genus.

Anne M. Camerik, Wojciech L. Magowski, Peter G. Hawkes, Edward A. Ueckermann, Ronald Ochoa, and Gary R. Bauchan (2016) A new species of relatively poorly known genus Zambedania Mahunka, 1972 was found on the baboon spider, Harpactirella overdijki Gallon, 2010 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) in South Africa. Besides the abundantly available phoretic females, several males and one larva of this species in the spiders' nests were also collected. Zambedania sekhukhunensis n. sp. is described and illustrated based on the phoretic females, males and larva. Improved diagnosis of the genus and a new key to species are also supplied. The descriptions and illustrations of the male and larva of this species represent the first ones of these stages in the genus Zambedania. Due to their discovery the generic diagnosis has been significantly improved.

Catalogue of snout mites (Acariformes: Bdellidae) of the world.

Bdellidae (Trombidiformes: Prostigmata) are moderate to large sized predatory mites that inhabit soil, leaves, leaf litter, and intertidal rocks. They are readily recognized by an elongated, snout-like gnathosoma and by elbowed pedipalps bearing two (one in Monotrichobdella Baker & Balock) long terminal setae. Despite being among the first mites ever described, with species described by Carl Linnaeus, the knowledge about bdellids has never been compiled into a taxonomic catalogue. Here we present a catalogue listing 278 valid species; for each species we include distribution information, taxonomic literature, and type depository institutions. The genus Rigibdella Tseng, 1978 is considered a junior synonym of Cyta von Heyden, 1826, and Bdellodes Oudemans, 1937 is considered a junior synonym of Odontoscirus Tohr, 1913. Illustrated keys to subfamilies and genera are presented, as well as keys to species of each genus.

Ectoparasite Burdens of the Damaraland Mole-Rat (Fukomys damarensis) from Southern Africa.

Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis) of the family Bathyergidae are widely distributed subterranean rodents in sub-Saharan Africa. No parasites have ever been reported for this species and only 1 ectoparasite is described for the entire genus. In the current study ectoparasites were collected from individuals captured at 3 localities in South Africa and Namibia to document the ectoparasite community of F. damarensis, investigate their aggregation patterns, and evaluate the influence of season on ectoparasite burden. A total of 2,071 arthropods from 9 mite taxa and 1 louse species (Eulinognathus hilli) were collected from 293 hosts sampled. Of these, 5 mite species (Androlaelaps scapularis, Androlaelaps capensis, Androlaelaps tauffliebi, Radfordia sp., and unidentified chiggers) and the louse were parasites while the remainder was soil mites. All ectoparasites were highly aggregated and the species richness as well as the prevalence and abundance of 4 of them were significantly greater in summer compared to winter, possibly as a result of seasonal changes in rainfall patterns affecting the ectoparasites, host behavior, or both.

Ectoparasite burdens of the common mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus) from the Cape Provinces of South Africa.

The members of the African mole-rat family Bathyergidae are widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. Despite their well-studied biology and reproductive physiology, the current knowledge of their ectoparasite fauna is limited and ambiguous due to recent revisions of the bathyergid taxonomy. The common mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus) is 1 of the most widely distributed species of these subterranean rodents. Ectoparasites were collected from 268 common mole-rats at 2 localities (Western and Northern Cape provinces) in South Africa over the course of 18 mo with the aim to document species richness, prevalence, and abundance of these ectoparasites. The aggregation of parasite species, sex bias within a species, and seasonal variation in ectoparasite burdens were investigated. A total of 4,830 individual parasites from 4 mite species (Androlaelaps scapularis, Androlaelaps capensis, Radfordia ensifera, and 1 undetermined chigger [family Trombiculidae]), 1 flea species (Cryptopsylla ingrami), and 1 louse species (Eulinognathus hilli) were collected. With the exception of R. ensifera and the chigger, all of these ectoparasites appear to be host specific either for the host species or the Bathyergidae. Aggregation indices indicated that with the exception of E. hilli, the distribution of all parasite species was highly aggregated among hosts and sex biased. Seasonal variation in prevalence, abundance, and species richness was apparent, with greater burdens in the rainy winter season. This is likely related to seasonal variation in abiotic factors but may also be affected by the timing of host reproduction and dispersal behavior.

Two new species of Cyta (Acari: Prostigmata: Bdellidae) from Western Iran .

This paper reports two new species of Bdellidae, Cyta leliae sp. nov. and Cyta kurdistanicus sp. nov., collected from soil and litter under oak trees, Quercus brantii Lindl. (Fagaceae), wild almond, Amygdalus lycioides Spach (Rosaceae) and grass, Kurdistan Province, Iran. A key is provided to adult female Cyta of the world. 

The role of host traits, season and group size on parasite burdens in a cooperative mammal.

The distribution of parasites among hosts is often characterised by a high degree of heterogeneity with a small number of hosts harbouring the majority of parasites. Such patterns of aggregation have been linked to variation in host exposure and susceptibility as well as parasite traits and environmental factors. Host exposure and susceptibility may differ with sexes, reproductive effort and group size. Furthermore, environmental factors may affect both the host and parasite directly and contribute to temporal heterogeneities in parasite loads. We investigated the contributions of host and parasite traits as well as season on parasite loads in highveld mole-rats (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae). This cooperative breeder exhibits a reproductive division of labour and animals live in colonies of varying sizes that procreate seasonally. Mole-rats were parasitised by lice, mites, cestodes and nematodes with mites (Androlaelaps sp.) and cestodes (Mathevotaenia sp.) being the dominant ecto- and endoparasites, respectively. Sex and reproductive status contributed little to the observed parasite prevalence and abundances possibly as a result of the shared burrow system. Clear seasonal patterns of parasite prevalence and abundance emerged with peaks in summer for mites and in winter for cestodes. Group size correlated negatively with mite abundance while it had no effect on cestode burdens and group membership affected infestation with both parasites. We propose that the mode of transmission as well as social factors constrain parasite propagation generating parasite patterns deviating from those commonly predicted.

Ectoparasites of rodents in Southern Africa: two new species of Laelaps Koch, 1836 (Acari: Laelapidae) ectoparasitic on Rhabdomys pumilio (Sparrman) (Rodentia: Muridae).

Laelaps horaki n. sp. and L. radovskyi n. sp. are described from the pelage of the rodent Rhabdomys pumilio (Sparrman) in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The formal taxonomic description and illustrations are derived from adults (females and males) and deutonymphs. A key to southern African species of Laelaps Koch, 1836 is given.

Ectoparasites of rodents in Southern Africa: a new species of Androlaelaps Berlese, 1903 (Acari: Parasitiformes: Laelapidae) from Rhabdomys pumilio (Sparrman) (Rodentia: Muridae).

Androlaelaps rhabdomysi n. sp. is described from the pelage of the endemic rodent Rhabdomys pumilio (Sparrman) in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The formal taxonomic description and illustrations are derived from adults (female and male) and deutonymphs. The specimens are similar in appearance to two congeneric species A. dasymys (Radford, 1939) and A. fahrenholzi (Berlese, 1911), but differ in the following features: genital shield long and almost parallel-sided; metapodal shield elongate; and anal shield longer than wide. Furthermore, the pilus dentilis on the fixed cheliceral digit of A. rhabdomysi is a rather broad sausage-shape and slightly constricted medially, whereas in the other two species it has an inflated base and is slender distally.