A pictorial key to the adult and larval nasal mites (Halarachnidae) of marine mammals

Abstract

Mites in the family Halarachnidae are common endoparasites infesting the nasal tissues of a variety of marine mammals. These mites are easily transmissible and compromise the health of their hosts, especially in captive environments. While these mites are noted by marine mammal caretakers, they may easily be misidentified due to repeated revisions to halarachnid mite taxonomy and reclassification of misidentified specimens. Species identification currently requires multiple taxonomic keys, knowledge of revisions to species classifications through time, and training in acarology, which is impractical for marine mammal clinicians. Therefore, to summarize the known taxonomy and aid in future identification of halarachnid mites, we present a pictorial key composed of illustrations based on existing literature and images obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution light microscopy (LM). Illustrations are organized into flow charts for the identification of both adult and larval stages. Dorsal shield silhouettes are also provided to facilitate the identification of adults. We hope that this key be used to simplify future taxonomic research, provide a standard for species identification, and aid in the diagnosis of halarachnid infestations in captive and rehabilitated marine mammal populations.