Mites [acari] infesting commensal rats in Suez canal zone, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Mites are arthropods distinguished from ticks by usually being microscopical in size and have a hypostome unarmed with tooth- like anchoring processes. They are group in a number of suborders, each with super-families and families including many genera of medical and economic importance. In this paper, commensal rodents [Rattus norvegicus, R. r. alexandrinus and R. r. frugivorous] were surveyed in the Suez Canal Zone for their acari ectoparasites. 4 species of mites were recovered. In descending order of mite indices, they were Eulaelaps stabularis [4.83 on 6 rats], Laelaps nuttalli [3.11 on 27 rats], Ornithonyssus bacoti [1.66 on 9 rats] and Dermanyssus gallinae [0.66 on 24 rats]. The overall mite indices in the 3 governorates were 3.66 in Suez, 2.82 in Ismailia and zero in Port Said. The medical and economic importance of the mites were discussed