Orlova, Maria V. ¹ ; Anisimov, Nikolay V. ² ; Akhmedenov, Kazhmurat ³ ; Klenina, Anastasia ⁴ and Simonov, Evgeniy ⁵

¹✉ Tyumen State Medical University, Tyumen, Russia & National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia.
²Tyumen State Medical University, Tyumen, Russia.
³M. Utemisov West Kazakhstan University, Uralsk, Kazakhstan.
⁴Samara Federal Research Scientific Center RAS, Institute of Ecology of Volga River Basin RAS, Togliatti, Russia.
⁵A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Moscow, Russia.

2025 - Volume: 65 Issue: 2 pages: 584-588

Original research

Keywords

Abstract

Introduction

Mites in the family Macronyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina) are mostly obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of mammals, birds and reptiles. The family currently includes 34 genera with approximately 240 species (Radovsky, 2010). The genus Ophionyssus Mégnin, 1884a currently includes 14 species worldwide (Beron, 2014). Today, the species of greatest documented veterinary and medical importance is Ophionyssus natricis (Gervais, 1844). Snakes and lizards infested by this mite may suffer from abnormal shedding (i.e. dysecdysis), and heavy infestation can cause anemia and even result in mortality. This mite has also been identified as a possible vector of several blood-borne bacterial, filariid and viral pathogens of snakes, and has also been implicated in instances of dermatitis in humans (Norval et al., 2000). Also O. natricis is a mechanical vector of Aeromonas hydrophila Chester, 1901, the causative agent of hemorrhagic disease in reptiles (Orlova et al., 2024).

Material and methods

Mites were collected with forceps from the body surface of a dice snake, Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768), in the Mangystau province of Kazakhstan (Fig. 1), transferred to 70% alcohol, and mounted on slides in Faure-Berlese medium. Mites were identified according to the key of Moraza et al. (2009). External measurements were made in micrometers (μm). Slide-mounted voucher specimens were deposited in the Parasitological Collection of the Tyumen State Medical University (Tyumen, Russia).

Results and discussion

The geographic distribution and host range of the snake mite was recently reviewed by Orlova et al. (2024). Our new locality and country record shows that the full distribution of this mite remains unknown, although we are uncertain if this new record is part of its native range, an expanding native range, or a human-mediated introduction. However, our new findings indicate that the distribution of this species requires further study

Differential diagnosis

The measurements of the body parts of the collected specimens are presented in Table 1. According to the key of Moraza et al. (2009) protonymphs of O. natricis are morphologically similar to O. eremiadis (Naglov & Naglova, 1960) described from several racerunner species Eremias sp. (Reptilia: Lacertidae) from Kazakhstan. The species O. eremiadis has a fairly brief description, but it contains clear features that distinguish it from other species of the genus. The protonymph of O. natricis, however, differs in the chaetotaxy and characteristics of some setae. In protonymphs, setae z2 are located on the podonotal shield (in contrast to the position of z2 on the cuticle in O. eremiadis); setae z5 are slightly longer than z4 (z5 setae is conspicuously longer than z4 in O. eremiadis); and the length to width ratio of the pygidial shield is 0.8-0.9 (in contrast to a ratio of 0.6 in O. eremiadis) (Naglov & Naglova 1960; Moraza et al. 2009; Fig. 2C; Table 1).

Material

Three protonymphs of O. natricis (Gervais, 1844) (Fig. 2 A, B) ex dice snake N. tessellata (adult female) (Reptilia: Colubridae) (Fig. 2 C, D) from Mangystau province, Kazakhstan, 43°07ʹ N 51°40ʹ E; 14 IX 2023; legs. E. Simonov, K. Akhmedenov, A. Klenina.

Remark

According to Radovsky (2010), protonymphs of Ophionyssus have setae Z4-Z5 on the pygidial shield and setae J4 on or off the shield, the palpal trochanter may have a low ridge-like process, and the chelicera is basally swollen.

Distribution

Worldwide. In Asia, the species have been recorded in Kazakhstan (this article, new record), Russia (Siberia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Northern Korea, Japan (Orlova et al., 2024).

Hosts

Mostly snakes belonging to various species (Orlova et al., 2024).

Note

Abdushukurova et al. (1966) listed numerous occurrences of O. natricis in Central Asia without specifically mentioning Kazakhstan as a locality, so we consider our finding to be the first for this country.

The snake mite specimens from Kazakhstan are larger than those from Azerbaijan and Japan (Table 1). Morphometric data on O. natricis are very limited at present, but given the remarkably wide distribution of this species, the polymorphism of the mite is of great interest. Further research is needed to explore various aspects of the biology of O. natricis.

Acknowledgment

This research was funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (grant No. AP 19675960).

References

1. Abdushukurova R.U., Markov G.S., Bogdanov O.P. 1966. On the parasitic fauna of the dice snake. Vertebrates of Central Asia (Collection of articles dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR T.Z. Zahidov). Tashkent, Fan Publishing House. p. 215-220. [In Russian]
2. Beron P. 2014. Acarorum Catalogus. III. Parasitiformes: Opilioacarida, Holothyrida, Mesostigmata. Sofia: Pensoft. pp. 286.
3. Moraza M.L., Irwin N.R., Godinho R., Baird S.J.E., de Bellocq J.G. 2009. A new species of Ophionyssus Mégnin (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) parasitic on Lacerta schreiberi Bedriaga (Reptilia: Lacertidae) from the Iberian Peninsula, and a world key to species. Zootaxa, 2009: 58-68. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2007.1.3
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7. Radovsky F.J. 2010. Revision of Genera of the Parasitic Mite Family Macronyssidae (Mesostigmata: Dermanyssoidea) of the World. West Bloomfield: Indira Publishing House. pp. 170.
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