Dermanyssus hirundinis Hermann 1804

• Main Authors: Mašán, Peter, Fenďa, Peter, Krištofík, Ján, Halliday, Bruce
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Arthropoda; Arachnida; Mesostigmata; Dermanyssidae; Dermanyssus; Dermanyssus hirundinis; Accipiter gentilis
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6126771; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6126771

Dermanyssus hirundinis (Hermann, 1804) Acarus hirundinis Hermann, 1804: 83. Dermanyssus hirundinis.— Evans & Till, 1962: 285, 1966: 356; Moss, 1968: 75, 1978: 634. Taxonomic remarks. This species is often confused with Dermanyssus carpathicus (see taxonomic remarks for that species). It shows phenotypic variability in the length of the dorsal shield setae and the width of posterior portion of the dorsal shield. In Slovakia, populations identified here as Dermanyssus hirundinis may be a mixture of two morphologically similar species. Occurrence and habitat. This species is widely distributed throughout Slovakia, and has been reported from the collection sites at altitudes between 100 and 1,650 m a.s.l., and from the nests of 41 host species (see below) representing nine orders of birds. Its host range differs from that of D. carpathicus, despite the fact that both species can occasionally be found together in the same nest, and relatively often in the nests of the same host species (22.8% of all identified birds). Its relative frequency in the nests of passeriform hosts (58.5%) is lower than that for D. carpathicus (69 %). However this number is inflated by the affinity of D. hirundinis for nests built in artificial nest boxes, which are mostly exploited by small passeriform birds. Generally, it preferentially inhabits nests with dry and unlined depression to house the eggs, including (1) closed or open cup nests made from mud pellets by swallows and martins (Hirundinidae); (2) nest boxes used by cavity-nesting birds; (3) elevated platform nests of diurnal birds of prey (Accipitriformes, Falconiformes); (4) stick nests of crows, magpies and some owls; and (5) mound or floating platform nests of some water birds, mainly waterfowl (Anseriformes). Host distribution. Bird nests: Accipiter gentilis, Acrocephalus arundinaceus (Krištofík et al. 2001; Fenďa & Schniererová 2004, 2005), Anas crecca, Anas platyrhynchos (Fenďa & Schniererová 2005, new data), Anser anser (Fenďa & Schniererová 2005), Anthus ...