Sensory organs of mesostigmatic mites (Acarina, Mesostigmata) dwelling in body cavities of mammals and birds

Abstract

Receptors on palps and fore tarsi of Pneumonyssus simicola Banks, 1901, Raillietia auris and Raillietia sp. (Trouessart, 1902) (Mesostigmata: Halarachnidae), dwelling in lungs and ears of mammals, and of Sternostomoides turdi (Zumpt et Till, 1905) and Tinaminyssus sp. (Mesostigmata: Rhinonyssidae), dwelling in nasal cavities of birds, were examined in a scanning electron microscope. Morphological changes of sense organs, associated with adaptation to parasitizing in body cavities, are discussed.