Mesostigmatid mites associated with the house shrew, Suncus murinus, in Rangoon, Burma.

ABSTRACT

In Rangoon and vicinity Suncus murinus comprises almost 20% of the small mammal population with almost equal load of mesostigmatid mites compared to murine rodents. Suncus murinus was infected by four species of laelapids, out of which L. myonyssognathus seems to infest more on urban S. murinus. The infestation of the free living Androlaelaps or Hypoaspis species is higher on the rural shrews while the Cheyletus species is higher on the urban than the rural S. murinus.