Parasitism, seasonality, and diversity of trombiculid mites (Trombidiformes: Parasitengona, Trombiculidae) infesting bats (Chiroptera) in Poland.

ABSTRACT: The study aims to ascertain the diversity of trombiculid species associated with Chiroptera in Poland, and for the first time in the case of research on Central European Trombiculidae, we use both DNA and morphology in an integrative taxonomic approach to determine species identities of trombiculids. The research was carried out from 2015 to 2019. In total, 2725 larvae were collected from 300 specimens of bats belonging to 11 species. Deutonymphs were obtained through laboratory rearing of larvae; few larvae and deutonymphs were collected also from bats' daily roosts. The presence of trombiculid larvae on hosts was observed between July and April of the following year, with the highest numbers recorded in autumn, during bat swarming. Male bats were infested more often than females (16.4 vs

SUBMITTER: Zajkowska P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8702504 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature