Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) Inhabiting Nests of the White-Tailed Sea Eagle Haliaeetus Albicilla (L.) in Poland

© Entomologica Fennica. 8 December 2006 Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) inhabiting nests of the white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (L.) in Poland Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz, Jerzy Bloszyk, Daria Baj erlein, Robert B. Halliday & Tadeusz Mizera D. J J R. B. & T. Gwiazdowicz, ., Bloszyk, ., Bajerlein, D., Halliday, Mizera, 2006: Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) inhabiting nests 0fthe white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (L.) in Poland. — Entomol. Fennica 17: 366—372. During 1997—2002, 105 samples of mites were collected from 34 nests of the white-tailed sea eagle in Poland. The material included 9,724 specimens of Mesostigmata belonging to 86 species. The mite communities were dominated by species of the families Parasitidae, Macrochelidae and Ascidae. The most abundant species were Alliplzis balleri, Androlaelaps casalis, Parasitus fime— torum and Macrocheles merdarius that altogether made up 48% of all the specimens collected. Alliplzis halleri andAndrolaelaps casalis were also the two most frequently found mites. A summary is presented on the biology and distribution of the abundant species. D. J. Gwiazdowicz, Department ofForest and Environment Protection, August Cieszkowski Agricultural University, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60—625 Poznan, Poland; E—mail.‘ [email protected] J. Bloszyk & D. Bajerlein, Department ofAnimal Taxonomy andEcology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61—614 Poznan, Poland; E—mail.‘ bajer @amu.edu.pl J. Bloszyk, Natural Science Collection, Faculty ofBiology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61—614 Poznan, Poland; E—mail.‘ bloszyk@amu. edu.pl R. B. Halliday, CSIRO Entomology, GPO Box I 700, Canberra ACT 2601, Aus— tralia; E—mail.‘ [email protected] T. Mizera, Department ofZoology, August Cieszkowski Agricultural University, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60—625 Poznan, Poland; E—mail.‘ [email protected] Received 29 October 2005, accepted 5 December 2005 1. Introduction carriers of disease for both animals and humans. However, the mite fauna of the nests of large Birds’ nests provide microhabitats that are inhab- birds of prey is poorly known, mainly as a result ited by diverse groups ofinvertebrates, especially of the difficulty in collecting material. arthropods (Fenda & Pinowski 1997, Fenda et al. The relationships among a host bird, its ecto- 1998, Fenda & Schniererova 2004, Krumpal et parasites, and the accompanying fauna occupy- al. 2000—200 1, Cyprich et al. 2000, Tryjanowski ing the nest are based on a combination ofspecific et al. 2001). Many of these species are potential trophic and environmental factors and phoretic ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 17 ° Mites in nests ofHaliaeetus albicilla 367 associations. Clear co-evolutionary links among each other and from other habitats that are com- components ofthe resulting fauna can sometimes monly inhabited by mites, such as forest litter and be discerned. In a particular area there may be soil. It is therefore interesting to study the dis- parallel adaptations of the host to life in the pre- persal mechanisms that allow mites to move into vailing local environmental conditions, of the nests or from one nest to another. parasites to a given host species, in regard to both The work presented here continues a study on the host and its nest, and the transformation of the mite fauna of avian nests in Poland. Previous free-living arthropod species into specific papers in this series are Bloszyk & Olszanowski nidicoles that are adapted to life in this specific (1985, 1986), Tryjanowski et al. (2001), Bloszyk microhabitat (Vysotskaya & Daniel 1973). These et al. (2005), and Gwiazdowicz et al. (2005). factors would suggest that the nests of different Here, we aim at describing the mite fauna associ- species ofbirds that have different patterns ofbe- ated with the nests of the white-tailed sea eagle. haviour with respect to nest building could pro- duce differing faunas of nidicolous mites. In the present paper we examine this phenomenon by 2. Material and methods surveying the mite fauna ofthe nests ofthe white- tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, which has a Between 1997 and 2002, we collected 105 sam- quite different pattern of nesting behaviour from ples from 34 nests of the white-tailed sea eagle the white stork Ciconia ciconia, which we have from different parts of Poland. Samples of nest examined previously (Bloszyk et al. 2005). In material, each 0.5—0.8 l, were collected during particular, the nests of the white-tailed sea eagle May and June each year. The material was ex- create for invertebrates a specific niche that is tracted in Tullgren funnels for 7 days and the col- characterised by less seasonal variation than lected mites were preserved in 75% ethyl alcohol. those of the white stork. Specimens were cleared in lactic acid or The large, old nests ofthe white-tailed sea ea- lactophenol and identified using the keys ofKarg gle — the largest Polish bird ofprey — are an inter- (1989, 1993). Values of the dominance (D) and esting subject for research. Our earlier observa- occurrence coefficient (C) were calculated fol- tions (Gwiazdowicz et al. 2005) showed that the lowing Bloszyk (1999). The dominance coeffi- species composition and community structure of cient D is a measure of the relative abundance of * the Mesostigmata in these nests are highly vari- each species, calculated as D = (na/n) 100, = able over successive years ofnesting. The breed- where n3 number ofspecimens of species a in all ing season of the eagle begins in the spring, dur- samples, and n = total number of specimens ofall ing February—March, earlier than that of the species in all samples. white stork, and the eagle does not seasonally The occurrence coefficient C is a measure of abandon its nest. It is associated with aquatic en- the frequency with which each species is found in * vironments and occurs near lakes, fish ponds and the collected samples, calculated as C = (q/Q) river valleys where it can feed, build nests, and 100, where q = the number of samples in which a live after the breeding season. During winter the particular species occurred, and Q = total number eagles concentrate around rivers and flood plains. of samples. Regarding dominance (D), species In Poland, the nests of the white-tailed sea eagle were grouped into the following classes: are situated exclusively in trees, most frequently eudominant (D5), >30.0%; dominant (D4), 15 . 1— in old pines and beeches. The nest is systemati- 30.0%; subdominant (D3), 7.1—15.0%; recedent cally built up over many years and reaches a size (D2), 3.0—7.0%; and subrecedent (D1), <3.0%. of up to 4 m in height and 2.5 m in diameter. Its For frequency (C), species were grouped into mass can reach as much as 1,000 kg. One-year- euconstant (C5), >50.0%; constant (C4), 30.1— old nests are considerably smaller, about 0.6 m 50.0%; subconstant (C3), 15 . 1—30.0%; accessory high and 0.8—1.2 m in diameter. A single pair of species (C2), 5 .0—15.0%; and accidental species eagles may have one or more nests, usually 2—3. (C1), <5 .0%. The birds remain near their nests throughout the All the material is deposited in “The Inverte- year. Nests built by the eagle are isolated from brate Fauna Ba ”, Department of Animal Tax- 368 Gwiazdowicz et al. ° ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 17 onomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz Univer- Androlaelaps casalis (Berlese, 1887) sity, Poznan, Poland. A species found in forest litter, humus, and soil, but most commonly in the nests of small mammals and birds (Karg 1993). Occurs in the entire 3. Results Palaearctic region and North America. The study yielded a total of 9,724 specimens of Dendrolaelaps strenzkei Hirschmann, 1960 Mesostigmata belonging to 86 species, including This species has been found, among other places, representatives of the suborders Gamasina (78 in rotting wood, under bark, in the nests ofFor— species) and Uropodina (8 species) (Table 1). mica rufa ants, and also in soil, forest litter and Among the species represented, 13 were charac- compost (Hirschmann & Wisniewski 1982, Karg terised by a high dominance coefficient. A short 1993). It occurs all over Europe, from Italy in the description of 10 of them is given below, citing South, to Finland in the North, from Spain in the their geographical distribution and most com- West, to Russia in the East. monly occupied microhabitats. Parasitus fimetorum, Macrocheles glaber andM. merdari— Uroseius infirmus (Berlese, 1887) us were also abundant, but accounts on the bio- A species found in decomposing plant remains, logy ofthese species have already been presented tree trunks and tree holes, but most commonly in in the paper on mites in white stork nests birds’ nests, with known phoresy on beetles (Bloszyk et al. 2005). (Wis'niewski & Hirschmann 1993, Masan 2001, Bloszyk et al. 2005). Its range includes Europe, Cornigamasus lunaris (Berlese, 1882) Kazakhstan and Mongolia. A species found in compost, decomposing organic material, excrement, and the nests of ants, Nenteria pandioni Wis'niewski & Hirschmann, such as Lasius fuliginosus (Hyatt 1980; Karg 1985 1993). It occurs all over Europe. A species most commonly occurring in old birds’ nests (Gwiazdowicz et al. 2000, Gwiazdowicz Macrocheles ancyleus Krauss, 1970 2003a). The species has been found in Poland and Found in dead wood, and also in old nests ofbirds Slovakia. of prey (Krauss 1970, Gwiazdowicz et al. 1999, Gwiazdowicz 2003b, Masan 2003). So far Trichouropoda ovalis (C. L. Koch, 1839) known only from Central Europe. This species has been found in many micro-habitats, such as among mosses, forest litter, mush- Alll'phis hallerl' (G. & R. Canestrini, 1881) rooms, rotting wood, tree holes, insect nests and Most commonly found in decomposing organic burrows, and the nests of mammals and birds material, compost and excrement (Karg 1993). (Wis'niewski & Hirschmann 1993; Bloszyk The species occurs in Europe and Asia.

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