Rediscovery of meristaspis la teralis [kolenati] [ac ari: mesostigmata: spinturnicidae] parasitizing the egyptian fruit bat, rousettus aegyptiacus [geoffroy][mammalia: chiroptera], with a key to mites of bats in Egypt

ABSTRACT

Faunistic information about bat mites in Egypt is scarce. Collection records of parasitic mites, Meristaspis lateralis [Kolenati, 1856] [Mesostigmata Spinturnicidae], are reported from the Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus [Geoffroy, 1810] [Mammalia Chiroptera] in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Seven species of bat mites are recognized from Egypt to date. A host-parasite checklist and an identification key to these species are presented