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Parasitic mesostigmatid mites (Acari) — common inhabitants of the nest boxes of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in a Polish urban habitat

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Abstract

In this study we investigated the mesostigmatid mite communities of starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nest boxes. We analysed material from 69 nest boxes collected from a park in Warsaw (Poland). Berlese funnels were used to extract the mites, which were subsequently sorted manually under a binocular microscope and preserved in ethanol. Mites were mounted on glass slides and identified under a microscope. Three species of mites were recorded, namely L. orbicularis (50), which is a granary mite and two parasite mites - Dermanyssus gallinae (3975 specimens) and Androlaelaps casalis (610). In conclusion, the high abundance of the parasites justifies the need to regularly clean the nest boxes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland

    Jerzy Błoszyk & Zofia Książkiewicz-Parulska

  2. Natural History Collections, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland

    Jerzy Błoszyk & Michał Kupczyk

  3. Department of Forest Pathology, Poznń University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poland

    Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz

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  1. Jerzy Błoszyk
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  2. Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
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  3. Michał Kupczyk
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  4. Zofia Książkiewicz-Parulska
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Correspondence to Zofia Książkiewicz-Parulska.

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Błoszyk, J., Gwiazdowicz, D.J., Kupczyk, M. et al. Parasitic mesostigmatid mites (Acari) — common inhabitants of the nest boxes of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in a Polish urban habitat. Biologia 71, 1034–1037 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2016-0124

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