Comparative analysis of vespertilionid bats’ (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) infestation with gamasid mites of the genusMacronyssusKolenati, 1858 during hibernation in the Urals and Western Siberia

Abstract

The current paper presents new data on population dynamics of several gamasid mite species of the genus Macronyssus Kolenati, 1858 (Acari: Mesostigmata) during hibernation of their hosts, i.e. bats of the family Vespertilionidae. We revealed that the life cycle of macronyssids parasitising bats of the Siberian–Far Eastern chiropteral faunistic complex, e.g. eastern water bats Myotis petax, significantly differs from that of ectoparasites of bats of the European–Ural complex, e.g. pond bats Myotis dasycneme. Host preferences of ectoparasites of bats of the two complexes were also found to be different. Pond bat mites prefer well-fed hosts of both sexes, while mites parasitising the eastern water bat prefer female hosts irrespective of their body condition. We related these data to the history of bat settlements in Eurasia. For the first time, we note the possibility of macronyssid reproduction in hibernation shelters with temperature close to zero.