Ectoparasite
Guides
Symbiocladius
Symbiocladius is a genus of non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in the subfamily Orthocladiinae. Species in this genus are obligate ectoparasites of mayfly nymphs (Ephemeroptera), attaching to first instar hosts to feed on haemolymph and associated tissues. The genus is known from the Palaearctic region, with records across Central and Eastern Europe. Symbiocladius rhithrogenae is the most studied species, documented to prevent host moulting and potentially cause sterility or death.
Trichobius corynorhini
Trichobius corynorhini is a species of bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) described by Cockerell in 1910. As a streblid bat fly, it is an obligate ectoparasite of bats. The species has been studied for its winter ecology, suggesting activity patterns that extend beyond typical warm-season observations common in many dipteran parasites.
Trichodectes
Trichodectes is a genus of chewing lice in the family Trichodectidae, described by Nitzsch in 1818. Species are ectoparasites of small to medium-sized mammals, primarily carnivores including mustelids, canids, and felids. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution across multiple continents. Individual species show varying degrees of host specificity, with some documented on multiple host families.
Trichodectes canis
canine chewing louse, dog chewing louse
Trichodectes canis is a chewing louse (suborder Mallophaga) that parasitizes domestic dogs and wild canids worldwide. It is a permanent ectoparasite, completing its entire life cycle on the host. The species is a known intermediate host for the dog tapeworm Dipylidium caninum, which can be transmitted to canids (and rarely humans) through ingestion of infected lice. Infestations are generally uncommon in well-cared-for dogs in developed countries but can occur in neglected or immunocompromised animals. A 2023 study reported T. canis from domestic cats in Tehran, Iran, representing a new host record.
Tricholipeurus
Tricholipeurus is a genus of ischnoceran lice in the family Trichodectidae, parasitic on mammals. The genus was established by Bedford in 1929. Species within this genus are ectoparasites of ungulates, with documented host associations including gazelles. At least one species, Tricholipeurus balanicus, has been recorded from the slender-horned gazelle (Gazella leptoceros) in Algeria.
Varroidae
Varroidae is a family of parasitic mites in the order Mesostigmata, containing the economically significant genus Varroa. Members are obligate ectoparasites of honey bees (Apis spp.), with Varroa destructor being the most destructive species affecting managed European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies worldwide. These mites have a two-stage life cycle involving a phoretic traveling phase on adult bees and a reproductive phase within brood cells. The family has become a major focus of apicultural research due to the severe colony losses attributed to Varroa infestations, disease transmission, and the mites' role in honey bee population declines.
Zatypota alborhombarta
Zatypota alborhombarta is an ichneumonid parasitoid wasp in the subfamily Pimplinae and clade Polysphincta. It is a koinobiont ectoparasite of adult theridiid spiders, including Cryptachaea jequirituba and Achaearanea tingo. The wasp induces host behavioral modification to construct a protective 'cocoon web'—a simplified, reinforced web structure that shelters the developing parasitoid larva. This manipulation represents a sophisticated host-parasitoid interaction involving the repetition of specific web-building behavioral subroutines.