Laelapidae mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) infesting small rodents in the Curonian Spit, Lithuania

Researchers identified five species of Laelapidae mites—Laelaps agilis, Hyperlaelaps microti, Haemogamassus nidi, Eulaelaps stabularis, and Myonyssus gigas—as parasites infesting small rodents in the Curonian Spit, Lithuania. This marks the first detection of these mites in the region, contributing to the understanding of their ecological diversity and host associations. The study analyzed 236 small rodents, including yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), harvest mice (Micromys minutus), bank voles (Myodes glareolus), root voles (Microtus oeconomus), and field voles (Microtus agrestis), collected between 2013 and 2014. Mite species were determined through morphological analysis of adult females and males, providing new insights into their distribution and potential ecological roles in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kaminskienė, E., Radzijevskaja, J., Balčiauskas, L., Gedminas, V., & Paulauskas, A. (2017). Laelapidae mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) infesting small rodents in the Curonian Spit, Lithuania. Biologija, 63(2). https://doi.org/10.6001/biologija.v63i2.3528