The Mite <i>Steatonyssus periblepharus</i> Is a Novel Potential Vector of the Bat Parasite <i>Trypanosoma dionisii</i>

Abstract

Trypanosoma dionisii, for which only bat bugs (Cimicidae) had previously been demonstrated as vectors, was, for the first time, detected in the gamasine mite Steatonyssus periblepharus in Russia. The molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that trypanosomes found in these mites belong to the “clade A” of T. dionisii, which, based on genetic distances, can be considered as a species separate from the sister clade B, and according to available data also has a distinct geographic distribution. The presence of developmental forms of T. dionisii resembling those previously described during the development of this trypanosome in cimicids suggests that S. periblepharus is a novel vector of the studied trypanosome.

Keywords

• Chiroptera
• bats
• trypanosome
• 18S rRNA gene
• developmental stages
• life cycle