Acari Astigmata (excluding Feather Mites) parasitic on Australian vertebrates: an annotated checklist, keys and bibliography

Abstract

The astigmatic mites (excluding feather mites) parasitic on, or associated with Australian vertebrates are reviewed, and keys and illustrations provided to enable separation of all 77 genera and 204 species recognised. Murichirus anabiotus, sp. nov. (Atopomelidae) is described from Pseudocheirus peregrinus (Boddaert) (Marsupialia: Petauridae). New synonymy in Echimyopodidae: Marsupiopus leporilli Fain, 1969a = M. l. pseudomys Fain & Lukoschus, 1976; in Acaridae: Thyreophagus Rondani, 1874 = Michaelopus Fain & Johnston, 1974; in Hypoderatidae: Hypodectes de Filippi, 1861 = Hypodectoides Fain & Bafort, 1966; Hypodectes propus (Nitzsch in Giebel, 1861) = H. p. bubulci Fain, 1967a = H. p. similimus Cerny, 1969; Neottialges Fain, 1966d = Suladectes Fain, 1969b; Tytodectes Fain, 1966d = Caprimuldectes Janssen Duijghuijsen, Lukoschus & Fain, 1979; in Laminosioptidae: Fainocoptes Lukoschus & Lombert, 1979 = Calamicoptes Lukoschus & Lombert, 1979 = Streetacarus Lukoschus & Lombert, 1979; Laminosioptes cisticola (Vizioli, 1868) = Acarus depilis Brown, 1897; in Listrophoridae: Leporacarus Fain, 1970b = Listracarus Domrow, present paper; in Chirodiscidae: Alabidocarpus recurvus (Womersley, 1943) = A. yandinae intersitus Fain & Lukoschus, 1981a; Dentocarpus Dusbabek & Cruz, 1966 = Paradentocarpus Fain, 1976a = Labidocarpellus Fain, 1976a; in Atopomelidae: Austrochirus Womersley, 1943 = Austrochiroides Fain, 1970e; Campylochirus Trouessart, 1893 = Campylochiroides Fain, 1971a; Dasyurochirus Fain, 1970e = Neodasyurochirus Fain, 1972a = Atopomelopsis Fain, 1972a; Dasyurochirus longipilis Fain, 1971a = Atopomelopsis gibberosa Fain, 1972a; D. sminthopsis (Womersley, 1954) = D. s. leucopus Fain & Lukoschus, 1981b; Murichirus Fain, 1971a = Murichiroides Fain, 1971a = Teinocheirus Fain & Lukoschus, 1981c; Murichirus a. alatus Fain & Lukoschus, 1981c = M. a. prosquamatus Fain & Lukoschus, 1981c. A host-parasite list and bibliography are included, and corrigenda and addenda to earlier parts of this checklist are provided. Laelaps elegans Canestrini, 1898 (Laelapidae) is a primary homonym of L. elegans Domrow, 1980a (= L. lampetes, nom. nov.); and L. manguinhosi calvescens Furman, 1972 of L. calvescens Domow, 1980b (= L. deanei, norn. nov.). Liponyssoides adsonis, sp. nov. (Dermanyssidae) is described from Climacteris leucophaea (Latham) (Passeriformes: Climacteridae).

Clinical dermatitis in a southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) associated with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei

“…Several crusts were removed and fixed in a solution of 70% ethanol and 5% glycerol. Mites isolated from these were cleared and mounted in Hoyer's medium and identified using the keys from Domrow (1992). Blood was collected from the femoral vein using a 23-gauge needle and 3-ml syringe, and preserved in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).…”

Occurrence of the predatory mite Haemogamasus pontiger (Berlese) (Acari: Laelapidae) in Australia, with a review of its biology

“…The only previous records of H. pontiger in Australia are those of Womersley (1956), who recorded it from Melbourne in straw packing material imported from England, and Domrow (1992), who reported it from skin on the arm of an orang-utan in the Royal Melbourne Zoo. The new records listed above show that this species is widespread in stored grain and straw in Australia, at least in the south-east part of the continent, and that it has been present in Australia since at least 1920.…”

“…It occurs in mammal nests and stored food, comes into houses, and has sometimes been suspected of biting humans and causing skin irritation. There are only two published records of this species from Australia, both from Melbourne, and both from highly artificial habitats (Womersley 1956;Domrow 1992). The purpose of the paper is to confirm that H. pontiger is widespread in Australia, and to examine the evidence concerning its medical significance.…”

“…Haemogamasus pontiger. -Baker et al, 1956Bregetova, 1956: 129;Strandtmann and Wharton, 1958: 135;Evans and Till, 1966: 257;Johnston and Lundqvist, 1975: 10;Hughes, 1976: 301;Williams et al, 1978: 267;Domrow, 1987: 847;1992: 1605Haitlinger, 1988: 642;Baker, 1999: 141. Haemogamasus (Euhaemogamasus) pontiger.…”

Ear Mange Mites (Notoedres muris) in Black and Norway Rats (Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus) from Inner-City Vancouver, Canada

“…N. muris has been recovered from these species in several countries, including Australia (Domrow 1992), the US (Degiusti and Hartley 1965), South Africa (Zumpt 1961), Brazil (Lopes et al 1992), and Belgium (Fain 1965). Within North America, the only published record of ear mange in rats is from Detroit, Michigan (Degiusti and Hartley 1965), although N. muris has also been found in California voles (Microtus californicus) in San Francisco (Lavoipierre 1964).…”