Mycteronyssus Fain, 1959

Bochkov, Andre V., Zabludovskaya, Svetlana & Oconnor, Barry M., 2008, Phylogeny and systematics of the endoparasitic astigmatid mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) of mammals: families Gastronyssidae, Lemurnyssidae, and Pneumocoptidae, Zootaxa 1951 (1), pp. 1-152 : 88-89

Genus Mycteronyssus Fain, 1959

Mycteronyssus Fain 1959c: 284, 1967: 34 .

Type species: Mycteronyssus polli Fain, 1959 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. ADULTS. Setae subc absent. Pair of distinct, apically pointed projections present ventrally on subcapitulum. Idiosoma moderately elongated, about 2 times as long as wide, almost rhomboid in outline. Propodonotal shield not fused with apodemes I. Idiosomal dorsum and opisthosomal venter without distinct striations. Sternum fused with distal ends of apodemes II. Foramen between sternal apex and distal ends of apodemes II absent. Ventro-median part of idiosoma with butterfly-shaped sclerotization between coxal fields II. Apodemes III distinctly developed and their distal ends closely situated or almost fused with median transverse sclerite of idiosoma. Apodemes IV fused to each other and with median transverse sclerite. Coxal fields I bearing membranous posterior projections. Folds posterior to coxal fields II absent. Coxal fields III–IV slightly sclerotized. Anus situated terminally. Tarsi shortened, about 2.5–3 times shorter than respective tibiae; tarsi I–II without pretarsi, tarsi III–IV with strongly reduced pretarsi. Trochanters III–IV each with distinct, widely rounded, ventral projection. Idiosomal setation (see Table 1): setae cp, f2, and h1 absent; setae se, 1a, 3a, h2 all filiform, h2 whip-like; si, c2, c3, g, 4b, ps2 all alveoli; 4a, ps3, h3 all microspines with distinct bases. Leg setation (see Tables 2 and 3): setae s III–IV, solenidia ω 1 I–II, and ω 3 I in females absent; setae kT IV and solenidia ϕIV present or absent; d I–IV, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II all filiform, setae d I–IV short; s I–II, gT I–II and kT III short spines; ba I–II, f I–IV, r I–IV, w I–IV spur-like; solenidion ϕIII in shape of short spur.

FEMALE. Bursa copulatrix opening dorso-terminal. Epigynum reduced, fused with median transverse sclerite. Posterogynal folds of oviporus smooth.

MALE. Pregenital apodeme distinct, fused with apodemes IV. Setae g situated in base of aedeagal cone. Adanal shields absent.

JUVENILE STAGES. Larva bearing idiosomal setae 1a, c3, and h2, and leg setae s I–II, d I–III, e I–III, f I– III, r I–III, w I–III, gT I–II, kT III, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II, solenidia ϕI–III, and famulus ε. Subcapitulum without ventral projections. Apodemes I fused, Y-shaped. Ventral folds on trochanters III absent. Posterior projections of coxal folds I absent. Protonymph unknown. In tritonymphs idiosomal setae si, c2, 4a, 4b, g delayed. Subcapitulum and trochanters III–IV without ventral projections. Posterior projections of coxal fields I present. Leg setation as in females. In female tritonymph no idiosomal setae added. At least inseminatory canal present. In male tritonymph idiosomal setae se and, probably, h3 (? ps3) present.

Species included: M. haplonycteris , M. polli .

Host range and distribution. The two species of the genus are recorded from the nasal passages of megachiropteran bats ( Chiroptera : Pteropodidae ) from tropical Africa and the Philippines (see Tables 6 and 7).