Ornithonyssus bursa (Berlese, 1888)

Leiognathus bursa Berlese, 1888: 208 .

Leiognathus morsitans Hirst, 1915: 56 . Synonymy by Strandtmann & Wharton (1958).

Leiognathus constrictus Ewing, 1923: 16 . Synonymy by Strandtmann & Wharton (1958).

Liponyssus eruditus Fonseca, 1935: 85 . Synonymy by Micherdziński (1980).

Liponyssus iheringi Fonseca, 1935: 89 . Synonymy by Fonseca (1958).

Ornithonyssus bursa .— Micherdziński, 1980: 53.

Taxonomic remarks. Despite the fact that this species is easily recognisable, the Slovak specimens have been misidentified (Mašán & Országhová 1995) and incorrectly listed under the name Ornithonyssus sylviarum .

Occurrence and habitat. This species is found throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the world. In Europe, it is relatively rare, but can be massively abundant in some colonies of the barn swallow Hirundo rustica (Gjelstrup & Møller 1986; Møller 2002). Ornithonyssus bursa is newly recorded for the Slovak fauna.

Host distribution. Bird nests: Hirundo rustica (Mašán & Országhová 1995; Országhová et al. 2006; both as Ornithonyssus sylviarum).

Revised data. Podunajská rovina lowland: 42 ♀♀, 1 ♂, 3 NN, 28 July 1993; 105 ♀♀, 11 ♂♂ 7 NN, 4 August 1993; 4,147 ♀♀, 736 ♂♂, 597 NN, 15 August 1993; 8,835 ♀♀, 1,513 ♂♂, 669 NN, 18 August 1993; 260 ♀♀, 22 ♂♂, 20 NN, 26 August 1993; 82 ♀♀, 12 ♂♂, 3 NN, 29 August 1993; 20,906 ♀♀, 9,182 ♂♂, 11,629 NN, 2 September 1993; 7,108 ♀♀, 6,039 ♂♂, 10,960 NN, 8 September 1993, Rusovce Village, Hirundo rustica .