Spinturnicidae

Oudemans, 1902

bat wing mites

Spinturnicidae is a of mites in the order Mesostigmata. All are obligate of bats, living their entire on the . They infest wing , tail membranes, and occasionally eyelids and . The family has a worldwide distribution in bat and comprises 11 .

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Spinturnicidae: //spɪnˈtɜːrnɪsɪˌdiː//

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Habitat

Bat-associated including caves, forests, and karst areas; distribution is determined by presence rather than environmental factors independent of bats

Distribution

Worldwide in bat ; documented from Central and South America (Brazil, Honduras, Mexico), with records from Minas Gerais, Pantanal, Northeast and Central Brazil, and Michoacán

Diet

; feeds on blood of bat

Host Associations

Chiroptera - obligate entire on
Phyllostomidae - primary for Periglischrus
Artibeus lituratus - great fruit-eating bat
Phyllostomus discolor -
Lophostoma silviculum -
Sturnira - yellow-shouldered bats, for Periglischrus ojastii
Noctilionidae -
Molossidae -
Vespertilionidae -
Emballonuridae -
Mormoopidae -

Life Cycle

All stages of life occur on bat ; complete is host-dependent

Behavior

Shows preference for specific anatomical locations on wings; Periglischrus iheringi preferentially infests plagiopatagium and dactylopatagium major wing regions, with correlated to surface area; tracking demonstrated—distribution follows host distribution rather than responding to independent environmental factors such as precipitation, vegetation, climate, or soils

Ecological Role

; may influence through blood feeding

Similar Taxa

Streblidaealso bat but are flies (Diptera) rather than mites
Nycteribiidaealso bat but are flies (Diptera) rather than mites
Spelaeorhynchidaealso mesostigmatid mites associated with bats but distinct