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Composition and seasonal changes of mesostigmatic mites (Acari) and fleas fauna (Siphonaptera) in the nests of Mus spicilegus (Mammalia: Rodentia)

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Abstract

Together 22,119 individuals and 47 species of mesostigmatic mites, and 485 individuals of fleas belonging to 6 species were obtained from 16 winter nests of mound-building mouse, Mus spicilegus. The most abundant mite species were Laelaps algericus (38.2%), Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (20.9%), Proctolaelaps pygmaeus (16.9%) and Alliphis halleri (8.3%). Ctenophthalmus assimilis (87%) was the highly predominant flea, present in all the positive nests. On the basis of trophic and topic relations, mites were assorted into four ecological groups; parasites had the highest abundance (67% of all individuals). The density peak values of individual ecological mite groups differed the during season. The population peak of the predominant mite species L. algericus was in December, predominance of females was registered throughout the study period. The maximum abundance of fleas was reported in January and May.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parasitological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, SK-04001, Košice, Slovakia

    Denisa Várfalvyová, Michal Stanko & Dana Miklisová

  2. Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Löfflerova 10, SK-04002, Košice, Slovakia

    Michal Stanko

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  1. Denisa Várfalvyová
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  2. Michal Stanko
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  3. Dana Miklisová
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Correspondence to Michal Stanko.

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Várfalvyová, D., Stanko, M. & Miklisová, D. Composition and seasonal changes of mesostigmatic mites (Acari) and fleas fauna (Siphonaptera) in the nests of Mus spicilegus (Mammalia: Rodentia). Biologia 66, 528–534 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0050-1

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