Demodex auricularis sp. nov. (Acari: Demodecidae) from the ear canal of the European wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus (Rodentia: Muridae)

Abstract

Demodex auricularis sp. nov. is described from the European wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus Linnaeus, 1758 (Rodentia: Muridae) from Poland. Demodex auricularis sp. nov. is a medium-sized demodecid mite (adult stages average 214 µm in length) observed entirely in the ear canal of mice. One already identified species of analogical microhabitat is Demodex agrarii Bukva, 1994 from the ear canals of the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771). Demodex auricularis sp. nov. is most similar to Demodex lacrimalis Lukoschus & Jongman, 1974, from meibomian glands of eyelids found the same host, but differs by the following features: gnathosoma is oval, short and wide; supracoxal spines (setae elc.p) are stick-like; terminal palpi are equipped with three spines; epimeral plates (coxal fields) IV are weakly sclerotized, almost invisible; the opisthosoma tapered towards end and rounded at end in females and sharp at and in males, opisthosoma poorly striped. The differences also relate to body proportions, D. auricularis sp. nov. being shorter and wider, more stocky, with shorter opisthosoma. The new species was observed in 16.7% of the rodents examined.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:730E0D79-4B43-44EF-A118-BC8664361AD5