J. Acarol. Soc. Jpn., 21(2): 125-130. November 25, 2012 © The Acarological Society of Japan http://acari.ac.affrc.go.jp/ 125

One new species of nasal of the genus Vitznyssus () from the Leningrad province, Russia

1 2 Ivan DIMOV * and Manuel de ROJAS

1Laboratory of Parasitology, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Science, Universitetskaya embankment 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia 2Departamento Microbiología y Parasitología Facultad de Farmacia Universidad de Sevilla, Spain (Received 25 May 2012; Accepted 12 September 2012)

ABSTRACT

One new nasal mites of the genus Vitznyssus Castro, 1948 was described from European nightjar, genus Caprimulgus (Caprimulgidae), found in the Leningrad Province, Russia: Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. from Caprimulgus europaeus L. Key words: Rhinonyssidae, Vitznyssus, nasal mites, Passeriformes, birds

INTRODUCTION

Nasal mites of the family Rhinonyssidae are permanent parasites of birds, in their respiratory tract (George, 1961; Fain, 1994; Knee and Proctor, 2010). Most species live in the nasal cavity on the vascularized epithelial tissue. Some species occupy the lungs, tracheal tissues and body cavity of their host (Porter and Strandtmann, 1952; Krantz and Walter, 2009). They are obligate hematophagous endoparasites (Vitzthum, 1935). These mites are viviparous, and their females produce eggs in which larvae are almost completely formed (Bregetova, 1956). Rhinonyssid mites disperse by the oral route when infested adult birds regurgitate food to their nestlings or during courtship behavior. Indirect transmission has been detected through water, perches, or other contaminated surfaces (Bell, 1996). It is thought that they are descendents of ectoparasitic predecessors which were probably related to the Macronyssidae (Strandtmann, 1948). Most likely that they originated as parasites of bats and later turned into parasites of reptiles, birds, and other mammals (Radovsky, 1985). The family Rhinonyssidae currently includes about 500 described species arranged in eight genera (Domrow, 1969; Fain, 1994; Knee, 2008). Host specificity of rhinonyssid genera is variable; some genera are constrained to one host family, while others observed in hosts from different orders (Fain, 1957b; Pence, 1973, 1975; Butenko, 1984). * Corresponding author: e-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.2300/.21.125 126 Ivan DIMOV and Manuel de ROJAS

Investigations of rhinonyssids are of a high importance, because in addition to the direct damage to their hosts (Rhinonyssidosis avium disease) (Dimov, 2011). Rhinonyssid mites were detected as reservoirs and vectors of encephalitis (Winn and Bennington, 1959). There is a probability that they could also be reservoirs or vectors of other infections like West Nile fever, Q fever, avian infl uenza, and Lyme disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rhinonyssid mites have been collected from dead birds’ corpses handed over by vet colleagues and amateur ornithologists. Bird heads were placed into a dish with 80% ethanol for future investigations. specimens were collected from all birds by dissecting the host's nasal cavities. The bird’s heads were placed in a glass dish, dissected and examined under a dissecting stereomicroscope. Found mite specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol. Description is based upon the holotype and paratype. Idiosomal chaetotaxy is based upon the system proposed by Lindquist and Evans (1965). Description of new species is given in a standard format for Rhinonyssid mites (Pence, 1975; Knee, 2008). Abbreviations used in the description are as follows: LB- length of body including palps; WID – width of idiosoma; LPS – length of podosomal shield; WPS – width of podosomal shield; LAS – length of anal shield; WAS – width of anal shield; LGS – length of genital shield; WGS – width of genital shield; LG – length of gnathosoma, ventral view, including palps; WG – width of gnathosoma; LCH – length of chelicerae; WCH - width of chelicerae; Lleg I to Lleg IV - length of leg, including coxa, excluding ambulacrum. All measurements are in micrometers. Holotype and paratype are deposited in the collections of Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.

RESULTS

Family Rhinonyssidae Trouessart, 1895 Genus Vitznyssus, Castro 1948 The genus Vitznyssus is a small genus, which includes 6 species (Butenko, 1984): V. caprimulgi, V. scotornis, V. vitzthumi, V. afrotis, V. neotis, V. tetragis . Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. (Figs. 1-2)

DESCRIPTION

Diagnosis: Large elliptical form with one podosomal shield on the dorsal idiosoma. Tritosternum present. Mesosomal shieldlets absents. Genital shield very narrow. Twenty five deutosternal teeth located in 10 rows. Female: Dorsum (Fig. 1) (holotype and 1 paratype): LB- 851 - 952; WID – 288 – 317; LPS – 150 - 166; WPS (anterior part/posterior part) – 77/128 - 82/133; LAS- 82 - 86; WAS- 49 - 56; LGS – 92 - 108; WGS – 16 - 19; LG – 178 - 186; WG – 97 - 98; LCH – 155 - 156; WCH – 21 - One new species of nasal mites of the genus Vitznyssus (Rhinonyssidae) from the Leningrad province, Russia 127

Fig. 1. Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. Dorsum.

25; Lleg I – 395 - 398; Lleg II – 361 - 363; LlegIII – 351 - 352; Lleg IV – 431 - 435. Podosomal shield T-shaped form. The anterior part rectangular and its surface with 4 pairs of setae. The posterior part perpendicular, square shape, heavily sclerotized and with 2 or 3 setae. The setae not found nearby borders of the shield, but on its surface. Four pairs of mesolateral setae located lateral to podosomal shield, two pairs situated posterior to the shield. On the dorsal opisthosomal idiosoma 14 pairs of setae present. Stigmata with peritreme located dorsolaterally 128 Ivan DIMOV and Manuel de ROJAS

Fig. 2. Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. Venter. at level of coxa III. Venter (Fig. 2): Sternal shield absent. Three pairs of sternal setae present on integument. Two pairs of pores located lateral to st1 and st2. Genital shield long and very narrow. Lateral integument of the genital shield with a pair of setae and a pair of pores. On the ventral opisthosomal idiosoma 14 pairs of setae present. Anal shield narrow with cribrum. Anus located in centrer of the shield. Long postanal and paranal setae present. Gnathosoma (Fig. 2): Well developed. The palps mildly shorter than the gnathosomal base, One new species of nasal mites of the genus Vitznyssus (Rhinonyssidae) from the Leningrad province, Russia 129 with thin setae. Twenty five deutosternal teeth located in 10 rows. From the fourth row to most posterior row, well-marked 3-4 teeth present on each row. Gnathosomal formula 2-4-2. Hypostomal setae hyp2 two times as long as hyp1 and hyp3. Legs: All legs six-segmented. Chaetotaxy of legs: Coxa 2-2-2-1. Trochanter 4-4-4-4. Femur 10-9-6-5. Genu 10-8-7-7. Tibia 9-9-9-9. Tarsus 31-15-16-16. All claws of legs I-IV strongly curved. Male, nymphs: Unknown Type material. Holotype female (ZISP 4818) and one paratype female (ZISP 4819) from Caprimulgus europaeus L. (Caprimulgidae), Pikalyovo (59°31’N, 34°10E) Leningrad Province, Russia, coll. by I. Dimov. Etymology: Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. has been named after Prof. Ilia Tsachev of Trakian University, Bulgarian.

DISCUSSION

Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. is most similar to V. caprimulgi (Fain, 1957a) redescribed by Butenko (1984), based on the material collected from Caprimulgus europaeus L. in Ryazan Province, Russia, in having T-shaped opisthosomal shield . The new species most clearly differs from the latter species by the absence of mesosomal shieldlets, and presence of deutosternal teeth. Other differential characters are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Differential characters of Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. and V. caprimulgi Character Vitznyssus tsachevi n. sp. V. caprimulgi Mesosomal shieldlets Absent Present Length of podosomal shield (μm) 150 - 166 319 - 378 Setae nearby caudal borders of the podosomal shield No Yes Setation of dorsal opisthosoma 28 20 - 22 Number of deutosternal teeth 25 Absent Length of genital shield (μm) 92 - 108 237 - 290

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are especially grateful to our friend Larisa Rubzova for providing us with bird samples for the present research.

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