Studies on dermanyssid and laelaptid mites as a foundation for assessing their role in causation and transmission of diseases under our geographical zone

ABSTRACT

The present study includes survey of mite species infesting three different rodents in the region of Al-Alamin, in the north western coast. Analysis of data revealed six different species of parasitic mites Dermanyssus sp., Hirstionyssus sp., and Laelaps sp. 2 were isolated from G. andersoni, while Allodermanyssus sp. and Ornithonyssinus sp. were recorded from Mesocricetes auratus and Lealaps sp. 1 was caught from R. rattus. These species belong to two different families Dermanyssidae [4 species] and Laelaptidae [2 species] and they represent five different genera. All trials made to identify the six species refer that they are unknown ones and probably being as new species, but the final decision waits the reply of Dr. Macfarlane of the Common wealth Institute of Entomology, London. Since the species are considered as unknown, a modified key was constructed for identification of the families and the genera, and the unknown species were fully described and illustrated and were distinguished from the most related species. Description was done from mounted material which is kept in the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Al-Azhar and is on request for further investigations