Two parasitic mite species on Phlebotominae sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Türkiye: Biskratrombium persicum (Microtrombidiidae) and Eustigmaeus johnstoni (Stigmaeidae)

Abstract

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are biological vectors for Leishmania species, which are health problems for humans and animals, bacteria such as Bartonella baciliformis, and various viruses belonging to the arboviruses such as Phlebovirus, the families Flaviviridae and Reoviridae. They are also known to be in contact with entomoparasites, such as various nematodes, mites and fungi. For a faunistic study, sand flies were collected by CDC light traps set up in various localities within the scope of two separate field studies carried out in Muğla and Adana provinces, Türkiye. During this study, two ectoparasitic mite species, Eustigmaeus johnstoni Zhang and Gerson on Phlebotomus tobbi Adler, Theodor and Lourie in Muğla province and Biskratrombium persicum Majidi, Hahiqanbar and Saboori (Microtrombidiidae) on Phlebotomus alexandri (Sinton, 1928) in Adana province, were observed from Türkiye. More detailed studies are needed since there are not enough studies about parasitic mites belonging to different families that can infest sand flies, their hosts, and the damage caused by these mites.