An annotated checklist of arthropods associated with the root vole Microtus oeconomus

Abstract

In the literature, 114 species of arthropods associated to Microtus oeconomus have been reported in the entire area of their occurrence. There are eight species of hard ticks, 52 species of gamasid and chigger mites, 47 species of fleas and seven species of sucking lice. In general, the dominant parasites of the Palearctic and Nearctic root vole populations are either western or entire Palearctic species. The analysis of the geographical range of their occurrence indicates that most of them occur both in Europe and Asia. Throughout Europe, Asia and America (Holarctic realm), root voles share 13 species of mites, seven species of fleas, and three species of sucking lice. Ectoparasite species split between two continents, most of them are found in both Europe and Asia (Palearctic region). Here belong three species of ixodid ticks, sixteen species of mites, seven species of fleas and two species of sucking lice. In Asia and the North American continents (Holarctic realm excluding Europe) populations of root voles share only one tick species, two species of mites, three species of fleas and one species of sucking lice. Of the parasitic species found only in Western Palearctic, excluding Asia, root voles are infested by three ixodid tick species, 14 mite species, and 13 flea species. Among the parasitic arthropods affecting root vole only in Eastern Palearctic, excluding Europe, one tick species, four mite species and seven flea species occur. There are only three mite species, ten flea and one sucking louse species on voles that inhabit North America (Nearctic region). Associated arthropods are obligate and facultative parasites or nidicolic and edaphic species. Seasonal changes in numbers of ticks, parasitic mites, sucking lice, fleas have also been observed.