The first records of Promyialges italicus and Myialges anchora (Acariformes: Epidermoptidae) in Slovakia with new hosts

Abstract

Epidermoptidae (Acariformes: Astigmata) are permanent ectoparasites of birds; representatives of some genera have evolved phoretic associations with louse flies (Hippoboscidae). Moreover, mites of some genera hyperparasitise their phoretic carriers, using them for oviposition and in some cases for feeding. In the course of research focused on bird migrations and avian ectoparasites carried out in Eastern Slovakia in 2022 and 2023, we collected 76 hippoboscid flies of 7 species from 71 birds of 20 species; of these flies, 6 individuals (8 %) were parasitised by epidermoptid mites. Promyialges italicus Faradonbeh et al., 2019 was found on the wings of Ornithomya avicularia (Linnaeus, 1758) and O. biloba Dufour, 1827, both from barn swallow, Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758. Myialges anchora Sergent and Trouessart, 1907 was found on the abdomens of louse flies of three species: Ornithoica turdi (Olivier in Latreille, 1811), Ornithomya fringillina Curtis, 1836, and O. avicularia (Linnaeus, 1758) from the three different avian hosts: Lanius collurio Linnaeus, 1758, Acrocephalus arundinaceus (Linnaeus, 1758), and Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758, respectively. Promyialges italicus has been recorded on a host other than Pseudolynchia canariensis (Macquart in Webb and Berthelot, 1839) for the first time. Neither species of this mite has been reported in Slovakia.