some ornithonyssine mites from australian mammals and birds (acarina: macronyssidae)

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Some Ornithonyssine mites from Australian mammalsand birds (Acarina: Macronyssidae)W. Micherdzinski a & R. Domrow ba Zoological Museum , Jagellonian University , Krupnicza 50, 30-060, Krakow, Polandb Queensland Institute of Medical Research , Bramston Terrace, Herston, 4006, AustraliaPublished online: 17 Mar 2009.

To cite this article: W. Micherdzinski & R. Domrow (1985) Some Ornithonyssine mites from Australian mammals and birds(Acarina: Macronyssidae), International Journal of Acarology, 11:3, 191-200, DOI: 10.1080/01647958508683414

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Vol. 11, No. 3 Intl. J. Acarol. 191

SOME ORNITHONYSSINE MITES FROM AUSTRALIAN MAMMALS AND BIRDS (ACARINA: MACRONYSSIDAE)

W . M i c h e r d z i n s k i I a n d R . D o m r o w 2

1. Zoological Museum, Jagellonh:n University, Krupnicza 50, 30-060 Krakow, Poland. 2. Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Bramston Terrace, Herston 4006, Australia.

ABSTRACT--Four new species of Ornithonyssus are described: O. acrobates from Acrobates pygmaeus (Shaw) (Marsupialia: Burramyidae); O. taphozous from Taphozous georgianus Thomas (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae); O. stigmaticus from T. flaviventris Peters; and O. campester from T. georgianus (principal host). Ornithonyssus latro Domrow is newly recorded from Eptesicus douglasorum Kitchener (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae); O. praedo Domrow from Rattus tunneyi (Thomas), Pseudomys nanus (Gould), Zyzomys argurus (Thomas) and Z. woodwardi (Thomas) (all Rodentia: Muridae), from A ntechinus macdonnellensis (Spencer), Dasyurus hallucatus Gould, Phascogale tapoatafa (Meyer) and Sminthopsis crassicaudata (Gould) (all Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) and from Tarsipes spencerae Gray (Marsupialia: Tarsipedidae); and Pellonyssus reedi (Zumpt and Patterson) from Steganopleura bichenovii (Vigors and Horsfield) and Donacola castaneothorax (Gould) (both Passeriformes: Ploceidae) and Neophema bourkii (Gould) (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae, captive host).

INTRODUCTION

This last of six contributions 3 to our knowledge of Western Australian ectoparasites collected by Dr. F.S. Lukoschus, Catholic University, Nijmegen, lists new records and species of Ornithonyssus from mammals and new records of Pellonyssus from birds. For completeness' sake a new Ornithonyssus taken by Dr. Lukoschus from a Queensland marsupial is also included.

For the setation of the dorsal shield and append- ages the systems of Evans and Till (1965) and Evans (1969) are used. All measurements are in microns. Mammal hosts are given after Ride (1970) and birds after Leach (1958). Localities given without a state are in the Kimberley region, N.W. Western Australia.

Ornithonyssus Sambon

Ornithonyssus Sambon, 1928: 105. Type-species Dermanyssus sylviarum Canestrini and Fanzago.

1. Sadly passed away on 24 August 1980.

3. The previous part was Micherdzinski and Domrow (1985).

This genus parasitises a range of mammalian and bird hosts. In Australia both introduced species and endemics occur, the two known species recorded below being in the latter category. Micherdzinski (1980) gave an extended generic diagnosis and Domrow (1983) the most recent Australian treatment.

Ornithonyssus acrobates sp. nov. (Figs. 1-4, 5-7)

FEMALE (Figures 1-2) - - Dorsal shield (Figure 1) 520-540 long, 270-275 wide at midlength; parallel- sided, tapered in posterior quarter to rounded termen; surface with paired pores, largely reticulate but punc- tate behind level of setae ./3; podonotal portion hvoo- trichous, with 15 pairs of setae (six j , four z, five s); opisthonotal portion holotrichous, with 15 pairs of setae (five J, five Z, five S, without accessory px; holotype with $4 missing on left side, paratype with Z2 missing on right side); setae all quite short especially in posterior half, j5 10-I1, J5 7-10, Z5 12-14 long. Dorsal cuticle hypertrichous, the setae stiff and bladed, 24-26 long beside termen.

Margins of tritosternal base (Figure 2) unclear. Presternal striae present. Sternal shield 39-42 long in

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192 Micherdzinski and Domrow 1985

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Figures 1-4. Ornithonyssus acrobates, sp. nov., idiosomata, dorsal and ventral• (1-2) Holotype female; (3-4) Protonymph, possibly prefemale. (Scales for idiosomata = 100, for chelicerae = 50 microns.)

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midline, 100-110 wide between setae st2; margins retracted, with weak cornua; surface reticulate and shield not denser towards posterior margin; with three pairs of setae and two pairs of pores. Metasternal setae free in cuticle, without accompanying pores. Genital shield 120-125 long behind setae, 74-77 wide between setae; a rounded V, with an inverted-V marking; with one pair of setae but pores free in cuticle; operculum rayed, its margin unclear. Anal shield 105 long (including cribrum), 81-82 wide (maximum, ratio 1.3); anterior margin rather transverse; anus set forward of centre, flanked at midlength by adanal setae rather shorter than postanal seta. Tiny metapodal shields present. Ventral cuticle hypertrichous, the setae stiff and bladed posterolaterally, up to 42 long. Peritremes reaching forward a little beyond level of midcoxae I; peritrematal shields free of vertex but fused posteriorly with crescentic exopodal shields IV.

Base of capitulum with setae c barely reaching deutosternum, hl > h3 > h2 >c, hl being about twice as long as c. Deutosternal denticles obscured by tritosternal laciniae. Cornicles and hypostomatal pro- cesses hyaline, of unclear structure. Epistome a V, its denticulate tip reaching to level of distal ends of palpal genua. Palpal trochanter-genu holotrichous (2.5.6, all on genu unclear but not obviously blunt), setation of tibia-tarsus unclear but claw two-tined. Trochanter ventrally with inner distal angle extended into rounded hyaline lobe as in O. bursa (Berlese) (see Micherdzinski 1980). Chelicerae slender, 145 long overall, basal segment 19-20 long; digits 45-47 long (occupying 32°70 of overall length), edentate but visible only in dorsoventral view.

Legs stout, hardly exceeding end of idiosoma in semi-engorged specimens; tarsus I 110 long, 32 high (ratio 3.4), sensory islet occupying 22% of overall length (excluding ambulacrum); tarsus IV 105-110 long, 32-34 high (ratio 3.3); holotrichous except for three additions commonly seen in genus, as e.g. in O. bacoti (Hirst) as specified by Evans and Till (1966, but not 1965): pt2 on genu -tibia III, pv on genu IV (paratype teratological on one side: femur IV 1-2/1-0, genu IV 2-2.2/1.0-0); coxa II with strong spine on anterodorsal margin.

MALE (Figures 5-7) - - A s in female except dorsal shield (Figure 5) 445-460 long, 245-255 wide at midlength; fuller humerally and more rounded posterolaterally, rather constricted at midlength; reticulations following more the contour of the shield anterolater- ally, minimal discally and giving way to strong punctae behind level of setae J2; podonotal portion hypotrichous, with 17 pairs of setae (six j , i~our z, five s, two r); opisthonotal portion hypertrichous, with about 20-22 pairs of setae (the additional ones usurped from

the cuticular series); setae stronger posterolaterally (up to 45 long). Dorsal cuticle with two pairs of setae midlaterally.

Holoventral shield (Figure 6) 360-385 long, 120 wide behind coxae IV; ventral portion irregularly expanded, with 15-18 setae (average 16, n = 4); metasternal setae and pores and genital pores on shield. Ventral cuticle with about 12-16 pairs of setae up to 35 long. Peritremes reaching forward almost to level of anterior margins of coxae II; peritrematal shields fused humerally to dorsal shield.

Base of capitulum with setae c barely half as long as distance between their bases and deutosternum. Deutosternal denticles single but number uncertain. Palpal trochanter with heavily sclerotised line in place of rounded lobe. Chelicerae (Figure 7) stout, of usual proportions, 110-120 long, basal segment 16-17 long; fixed digit unclear; movable digit in usual dorsoventral orientation, dense, acute and upturned at tip but hardly hook-like, spermatodactyl similarly curved but blunt, combined length 37-41 (occupying 34070 of length).

Tarsus I 82-87 long, 29-32 high (ratio 2.8); tarsus IV 82-85 long, 28-31 high (ratio 2.8); tarsi II-IV with setae avl-2 and pvl-2 thickened basally and set on slight prominences.

P R O T O N Y M P H (Figures 3-4) - - Stereotyped but as in female except podonotal shield (Figure 3) 195-205 long, 170 wide; broadest in posterior third, with posterior margin weakly lobed medially; surface reticulate, with paired pores; holotrichous, with 11 pairs of simple setae (/'5 14 long in possible prefemale, 4-7 in possible premales). Four mesonotal shieldlets present. Pygidial shield 48-53 long, 80-115 wide; anterior margin transverse, sinuous; hypotrichous, with five pairs of setae (J5 a microseta, 3-5 long; Z5 strong, weakly barbed, 40-41 long; $5 bladed, 19 long in possible prefemale, 7-9 in possible premales). Podonotal cuticle showing incipient hypertrichy, with six pairs of setae; opisthonotal cuticle hypertrichous, the setae bladed.

Tritosternal base (Figure 4) with hyaline margins. Sternal shield 95-135 long, 80-110 wide; transversely reticulate. Anal shield 42-56 long, 40-56 wide (ratio 1.0). Ventral cuticle hypertrichous, the pregenital pair weak, the posterolaterals bladed. Peritremes short, above coxae III, without peritrematalia except for anterodorsal precursors.

Palpal trochanter-genu holotrichous (1.4.5); trochanter as in male. Chelicerae 98-140 long, basal segment 14-16 long; digits 26-34 long (occupying 25°70 of length).

Tarsus I 95 long, 26 high (possibly prefemale, ratio 3.7); tarsus IV 85 long, 29 wide (possibly prefemale, ratio 2.9); tarsus I 56 long, 29 high (possibly

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premales, ratio 1.9); tarsus IV 65 long, 29 wide (possibly premales, ratio 2.2); legs holotrichous, with no suggestion of additions in adult.

DIAGNOSIS - - Adults of both sexes of the new species most resemble those of O. petauri Micherdzin- ski, from petaurid marsupials, but are readily distin- guished by the holotrichous J series on the dorsal shield and elongate peritremes. Protonymphs have five pairs of setae (including J5) on the pygidial shield as in O. latro Domrow but show $5 (and most setae on the body cuticle) bladed. The protonymph of O. petauri has only three pairs of setae on the pygidial shield (J5 absent).

MATERIAL - - From pigmy glider, Acrobates pygmaeus (Shaw) (Marsupialia: Burramyidae): holotype female, one paratype female, allotype male, three paratype males and three paratype protonymphs, Queensland, 11.VII.1893, von Rolle (mites collected F.S. Lukoschus). Holotype, allotype and one paratype protonymph in Zoological Institute and Zoological Museum of University, Hamburg; balance of paratypes in Catholic University, Nijmegen; and authors ' institutes.

Ornithonyssus latro Domrow (Figs. 8-10)

Ornithonyssus latro Domrow, 1963: 216; 1977: 216, Eptesicus pumUus; Micherdzinski, 1980: 81.

MALE (Figures 8-10) - - As in female except dorsal shield (Figure 8) 540-590 long, 245 wide at midlength; parallel-sided and considerably fuller, especially posterolaterally; surface reticulate, with paired pores, including peculiar "doub led" posterolateral pair; podonotal portion "holo t r ichous" , with about 22 (though not necessarily the standard 22) pairs of setae; opisthonotal portion hypertrichous, with about 38 pairs of setae in specimen figured; setae slender,j5 42-48 long, J5 hardly a microseta, 26-27 long. Dorsal cuticle with about 46 pairs of slender setae.

Tritosternal base (Figure 9) with hyaline, denticulate margins (as it has in female and to lesser extent protonymph). Holoventral shield 480-505 long, 85-90 wide; reticulate, with all pores on shield (except one metasternal on one side of one specimen) but metasternal setae free in cuticle; ventral portion hardly expanded behind coxae IV, with 9.11 and 10.10 setae. Metapodal shields narrow. Ventral cuticle with about 42 pairs of setae. Peritremes failing to reach level of midcoxae II; peritrematal shields fused humerally to dorsal shield.

Deutosternum with six single denticles. Palpal trochanter with heavily sclerotised line in place of

rounded lobe; genu with seta all spatulate. Chelicerae (Figure 10) stout, of usual proportions, 145 long, basal segment 19-21 long; fixed digit hyaline; movable digit dense and hooked, spermatodactyl tapered, combined length 48-50 (occupying 34% of length).

Tarsus I 155-160 long, 26-30 high (ratio 5.6); tarsus IV 155-160 long, 26-29 high (ratio 5.7); tarsi If- IV with setae avl-2 andpv l -2 thickened basally and set on slight prominences; legs holotrichous except for three additions noted in O. acrobates.

MATERIAL - - From little bat, E. pumilus (Gray) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae): two females and 13 protonymphs, Mitchell Plateau, 23.X. From little bat, E. douglasorum Kitchener: seven females, two males and 39 protonymphs, Geikie Gorge, 30.IX, 3-5, 8.X; two females and 20 protonymphs, Beverley Springs, 20.IX. All 1976, F.S. Lukoschus. In Western Australian Museum, Perth; Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago; Catholic University, Nijmegen; and authors ' institutes.

Ornithonyssus taphozous sp. nov. (Figs. 11-12)

FEMALE (Figures 11-12) - - As in O. acrobates except as follows. Dorsal shield (Figure 11) 660-670 long, 210 wide at humeri; slightly irregular behind humeri and then gently tapering to narrow termen; surface distinctly reticulate; podonotal portion hypotrichous, with 13 pairs of setae (six j , four z, three s); opisthonotal portion hypotrichous, holotype with 8.9 setae, paratype with 9.10 setae, of which 2.2 immedi- ately in front of Z5 are smaller than remainder (the smaller of these two pairs, to judge from the protonymph, would be J5); setae slender, j5 45, J5 24-26 long. Setae on dorsal cuticle slender, up to 65 long beside termen.

Tritosternal base (Figure 12) with denticulate margins. Sternal shield 50-56 long, 115-120 wide; denser behind crescentic " l ine" just inside pores; with two pairs of setae. Metasternal pores free in cuticle. Genital shield 135-165 long, 80-81 wide; operculum with sinuous margin. Anal shield 155-170 long, 67-74 wide (ratio 2.3); anterior margin rounded; anus set well forward of centre, largely in front of adanal setae. Setae on ventral cuticle slender, up to 66 long. Peritremes reaching forward to level of midcoxae II.

Base of capitulum with setae c reaching well past farther sides of deutosternum, h3 > c > h2 > h l , h3 being almost twice as long as h l. Deutosternal denticles single but number uncertain. Seta all on palpal genu blunted. Chelicerae 195 long, basal segment 28 long; digits 50 long (occupying 26°70 of length).

Legs slender, well exceeding end of idiosoma in

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Figures 11-12. Ornithonyssus taphozous, sp. nov., holotype female, idiosoma, dorsal and ventral, with inset of termen of dorsal shield from paratype.

slightly engorged holotype; tarsus I 200-220 long, 29 high (ratio 7.2), sensory islet occupying 16% of length; tarsus IV 245-250 long, 29-30 high (ratio 8.4).

DIAGNOSIS - - The female of the new species most resembles that of O. latro but is readily distin- guished by the evenly tapering opisthonotal portion of the dorsal shield with its (approximately) nine, rather than 20 pairs of setae.

MATERIAL - - From common sheath-tailed bat, Taphozous georgianus Thomas (Emballonuridae): holotype female and one paratype female, Brooking Springs, 31.X, 30.IX. Both 1976, F.S. Lukoschus. Holotype in Western Australian Museum, Perth; para-

type in Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.

Ornithonyssus praedo Domrow (Figs. 13-16)

Ornithonyssus praedo Domrow, 1971: 109, Melornys cervinipes; Micherdzinski, 1980:111.

FEMALE - - Podonotal portion of dorsal shield with 12 pairs of setae as in original series; opisthonotal portion with 15-17 setae in specimens from Z. argurus, 20-21 in three specimens from Tarsipes (25 including two anterolaterals on edge of shield in fourth specimen

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Figures 13-16. Ornithonyssus praedo Domrow, male. (13-15) Idiosoma, dorsal and ventral, and chelicera, dorsolateral, from Zyzomys argurus, Mitchell Plateau; (16) Dnrsal shield, from Z. argurus, Mount Hart.

from Tarsipes), 23 in specimen from Phascogale,. 25-27 in six specimens from Sminthopsh cf. 19-23 in original series. Leg setation incorrectly stated in original description, actually as in O. acrobates above.

MALE (Figures 13-16) - - As in female except dorsal shield (Figures 13, 16) 480-520 long, 235-260 wide at midlength; parallel-sided, termen usually rounded but at times more tapered; podonotal portion hypotrichous, with about 18 pairs of setae (six j , four z, five s, three or four r); opisthonotal portion at times slightly (about 36 setae) but usually quite (up to 46 setae) hypertrichous (the whole range occurring in material from Zyzomys argurus); setae slender, j5 26-33, Z5 35-42 long. Dorsal cuticle with about 32 pairs of setae.

Holoventral shield (Figure 14) 440-485 long, 93-100 wide; with all pores and setae st3 and metasternal setae on shield; ventral portion slightly expanded behind coxae IV, with 11-16 setae (average 13,

n = 15). Ventral cuticle with about 20 pairs of setae. Peritremes abbreviated, lying above coxae III; peritrematal shields fused broadly to humeri of dorsal shield.

Deutosternum with about nine single denticles. Palpal trochanter with sclerotised line in place of rounded lobe; genu with seta all blunted. Chelicerae (Figure 15) stout, of usual proportions, 140-150 long, basal segment 27-32 long; fixed digit hyaline; movable digit reduced and also hyaline, spermatodactyl not tapered at tip, combined length 45-49 (occupying 32°7o of length).

Tarsus I 120-125 long, 23-26 high (ratio 5.0); tarsus IV 125-130 long, 23-25 high (ratio 5.3); tarsi II-IV with setae avl-3 and pvl-2 thickened basally and set on slight prominences.

NOTES - - After careful study we conclude the specimens from dasyurids are indeed O. praedo rather than variants of O. dasyuri Domrow.

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MATERIAL - - From Tunney's rat, Rattus tunneyi (Thomas) (Rodentia: Muridae): one male, Mitchell Plateau, 28.X; one male and three protonymphs, Port Warrender, 30.X. From chestnut native mouse, Pseudomys nanus (Gould) (Muridae): 13 protonymphs, Mitchell Plateau, 20.X. From common rock rat, Zyzomys argurus (Thomas) (Muridae): one male, Napier Downs, 2.IX; eight females, 13 males and 61 protonymphs, Mount Hart, 11-12, 14.IX; one protonymph, Brooking Springs, 28.IX; one female, five males and 30 protonymphs, Mitchell Plateau, 19, 22, 24.X; two protonymphs, Port Warrender, 28-29.X. From Woodward's rock rat, Z. woodwardi (Thomas): two males and two protonymphs, Port Warrender, 29-30.X. From fat-tailed marsupial mouse, Antechinus macdonnellensis (Spencer) (labelled under its synonym A. bilarni Johnson) (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae): one male, Mitchell Pla- teau, 19.IX. From little northern native cat, Dasyurus hallucatus Gould: one male and nine protonymphs, Mount Hart, 10-11.IX. All 1976, F.S. Lukoschus. From honey possum, Tarsipes spencerae Gray (Mar- supialia: Tarsipedidae): four females and two males, Green Range, Albany, W. Aust., 25.VIII.1961, T.C. Scott; two protonymphs, Lancelin area, W. Aust., 20.VI.1975, J. Roeke. In same institutes as O. latro. From tuan, Phascogale tapoatafa (Meyer) (Dasyuri- dae): one female, Tamworth, N.S.W., 17.X.1919, C.M. Hoy (mite collected F.S. Lukoschus). In United States National Museum, Washington. From fat-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis crassicaudata (Gould) (Dasyuri- dae): two females, Nyngan, N.S.W., VI.1946, J.W. Armstrong; five females and one protonymph, Parta- coona Station, near Hawker, Flinders Ranges, S. Aust., 13.XII.1972, D. Hayman. In South Australian Museum, Adelaide.

Ornithonyssus stigmaticus sp. nov. (Figs. 17-18)

PROTONYMPH (Figures 17-18) - - Podonotal shield (Figure 17) 200 long, 165 wide in specimen illustrated; holotrichous, with 11 pairs of setae; pygidial shield 60 long, 140 wide; hypotrichous, with five pairs of setae (J5 a microseta, Z5 the strongest). Dorsal cuticle hypertrichous. Venter (Figure 18) stereotyped. Ventral cuticle hypertrichous. Peritremes hypertrophied. Capitulum and legs holotrichous.

DIAGNOSIS - - Although this species and the next are represented only by protonymphs we follow the lead of Radovsky et al. (1971) in naming them formally. The hypertrophied peritremes of the two species do not occur elsewhere in the genus but recall the state in Neolaelaps Hirst (Laelapinae). However, the one protonymph known in that genus - N. spino-

sus (Berlese) (see Radovsky 1967) - has a holotrichous dorsum (30 pairs of setae) and already presages the adult condition (setae Z5 on pygidial shield filamen- tous, tritosternum broad, postanal seta stout etc.).

MATERIAL - - From yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat, Taphozous flaviventris Peters (Emballonuridae): holotype protonymph and 18 paratype protonymphs, Mount Hart, 10.IX; one paratype protonymph, Bever- ley Springs, 24.IX. All 1976, F.S. Lukoschus. Holo- type in Western Australian Museum, Perth; paratypes in same institutes as O. latro.

Ornithonyssus campester sp. nov. (Figs. 19-20)

PROTONYMPH (Figures 19-20) - - As in O. stigmaticus but podonotal shield (Figure 19) 175 long, 135 wide in specimen illustrated; pygidial shield 47 long, 77 wide, with three pairs of setae (J5 a microseta, Z5 and $5 subequal). Peritremes (Figure 20) stouter.

MATERIAL - - From common sheath-tailed bat, Taphozous georgianus Thomas (Emballonuridae): holotype protonymph and 90 paratype protonymphs, Napier Downs, 29, 30.VIII, 2.IX; 38 paratype protonymphs, Brooking Springs, 30.IX, 31.X; 15 paratype protonymphs, Geikie Gorge, 5, 8.X. From little bat, Eptesicus douglasorum Kitchener (Vespertilionidae): six paratype protonymphs, Geikie Gorge, 30.IX. From hoary bat, Chalinolobus rogersi Thomas (Vesper- tilionidae): one paratype protonymph, Napier Downs, 30.VIII. All 1976, F.S. Lukoschus. Holotype in Western Australian Museum, Perth; paratypes in same institutes as O. latro.

Pellonyssus Clark and Yunker

Pellonyssus Clark and Yunker, 1956: 93. Type-species Pellonyssus passeri Clark and Yunker.

The one species of this widespread g~nus known from Australia is restricted to birds, especially ploceids.

Pellonyssus reedi (Zumpt and Patterson)

Steaton.vssus reedi Zumpt and Patterson, 1952: 163. Pellonyssus reedi: Till, 1964: 92; Domrow, 1966: 191,

Zonaeginthus bellus. Steatonyssus malurus Womersley, 1956:214, Malurus

melanocephalus.

MATERIAL - - From banded finch, Stegano- pleura bichenovii (Vigors and Horsfield) (Passeri- formes: Ploceidae): one female, Mount Hart, 11.IX.

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From chestnut-breasted finch, Donacola castaneothorax (Gould) (Ploceidae): eight protonymphs, Mount Hart, 13.IX. All 1976, F.S. Lukoschus. In same institutes as O. latro. From Bourke parrot (captive), Neophema bourkii (Gould) (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae): three females, Athelstone, S. Aust., 17.XI.1972, D. Schultz. In South Australian Museum, Adelaide.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper gives results of the Western Australian Field Programme 1976-77 (Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and Western Australian Museum, Perth), in which the participation of mammalogists was made possible by the generous gift of William S. and Janice Street, Ono. Work was aided in part by Grant R87-111 from the Netherlands Organisation for Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.), The Hague, to Dr. F.S. Lukoschus, and by a grant from the Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, to R.D. Miss Susan Gaskill carefully prepared the illustrations.

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some ornithonyssine mites from australian mammals and birds (acarina: macronyssidae)

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