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Species of the genus Psoroptes (Acari: Psoroptidae): A taxonomic consideration

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Abstract

The biosystematic status of mite species belonging to the genus Psoroptes Gervais, 1841 is difficult to determine by phenotypic methods and has been subject to taxonomic revisions and ongoing debate. At present, the existence of five species, P. cuniculi (Delafond, 1859), P. ovis (Hering, 1838), P. equi (Hering, 1838), P. cervinus Ward, 1915 and P. natalensis Hirst, 1919, is generally accepted. This classification is based mainly on the host species, the localization of the mites on their hosts and morphological characters of male mites. However, a critical review of the literature indicates that the features used to discriminate between the five species are not unequivocal: (a) the localization of mite populations on host animals is not completely strict, (b) the lengths of the outer opisthosomal setae of male mites, which are the main morphological features used for species discrimination, overlap between the five postulated species, and (c) host specificity cannot be deduced from results of transfer experiments. Rather, conspecificity of the members of the genus Psoroptes has to be presumed which is supported by molecular genetic analyses. On these grounds and on rules of priority P. cervinus Ward, 1915, P. cuniculi (Delafond, 1859), P. natalensis Hirst, 1919 and P. ovis (Hering, 1838) are seen as synonyms of P. equi (Hering, 1838).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 5, D-80802, Munich, Germany

    Monika Zahler

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Division of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3508 TD, Utrecht, the Netherlands

    Wim M. L. Hendrikx

  3. Institute for Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 5, D-80802, Munich, Germany

    Anke Essig

  4. Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Klinikum Innenstadt, University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 5, D-80802, Munich, Germany

    Heinz Rinder & Rainer Gothe

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Zahler, M., Hendrikx, W.M.L., Essig, A. et al. Species of the genus Psoroptes (Acari: Psoroptidae): A taxonomic consideration. Exp Appl Acarol 24, 213–225 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006443722815

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