Mites (Mesostigmata: Spinturnicidae and spelaeorhynchidae) associated with bats in Northeast Brazil

Abstract

In this article, we present the results of a study about mites associated with bats collected in the State of Pernambuco, northeast Brazil. Of the 331 bats collected, 23 were found naturally infested by mites, corresponding to an overall prevalence of 6.9% (95% confidence interval: 4.5-10.2). Four mite species were collected from seven bat species. The following mite-bat associations were recorded: Periglischrus acutisternus Machado-Allison on Phyllostomits discolor Wagner; Periglischrus ojastii Oudemans on Carollia perspicillata L.; Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans on Artibeus lituratus (Olfers), Artibeusplanirostris Spix, Platyrrhinus lineatus (E. Geoffroy), and Sturnira lilium (E. Geoffroy); and Spelaeorhynchus praecursor Neumann on C. perspicillata. This study definitively confirms the presence of S. praecursor in Pernambuco and records for the first time the presence of three spinturnicid species (i.e., P. acutisternus, P. ojastii, and P. iheringi) in northeast Brazil. © 2009 Entomological Society of America.