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Dermanyssus

Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

    Subcohort Dermanyssiae

        Superfamily Dermanyssoidea

Family Dermanyssidae

Dermanyssus Duges  (including Microdermanyssus Moss)

Not in key: Draconyssus Yunker & Radovsky, Laelaspisella Marais & Loots, Acanthonyssus Yunker & Radovsky

Keyed elsewhere: Liponyssoides Hirst

Diagnostic characters:

• Hypertrichous dermanyssoid mites with very long, stylet-like chelcerae that feed on the blood of birds

• Dorsal shield entire or with a few ancillary posterior scutellae

• Sternal shield reduced and bearing 1-2 pairs of setae

• Anal shield relatively large

• Genital shield relatively broad and bearing 1 pair of setae

• Peritremes very short or reaching to anterior margin of coxae II

• Tritosternum biflagellate; seta j3 absent.

 Similar taxa. Macronyssidae, Liopnyssoides

Ecology & Distribution.  Blood-feeding parasites of vertebrates. The red poultry mite or pigeon mite, D. gallinae (De Geer), is a significant pest of poultry and often bites people.

References

Evans, G. O. and Till, W. M. 1966. Studies on the British Dermanyssidae (Acari : Mesostigmata). Part II. Classification. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology 14 : 109-370.

Moss WW.  1968.  An illustrated key to the species of the acarine genus Dermanyssus (Mesostigmata: Laelapoidea: Dermanyssidae).  Journal of Medical Entomology 5: 67-84.