Occurrence of Epidermoptid Mites (Acari: Astigmata: Epidermoptidae) in Japan, with its Hyperparasitic Record on the Louse Fly Ornithomya avicularia aobatonis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae)

Abstract

This report describes the hyperparasitism of Hemimyialges macdonaldi (Evans, Fain, and Bafort) (Acari: Astigmata: Epidermoptidae) on louse flies Ornithomya avicularia aobatonis (Matsumura) (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) found on a Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus nisosimilis (Tickell) (Falconiformes: Accipitridae) in western Honshu, Japan. This is the first record of the family Epidermoptidae in Japan. Moreover, this is the first case of hyperparasitism on louse flies in Japan and the first record of mite/fly and mite/bird host. Gravid female, nongravid female, immature male, and the egg of H. macdonaldi are figured.