title: Demodex castoris sp. nov. (Acari: Demodecidae) parasitizing Castor fiber (Rodentia), and other parasitic arthropods associated with Castor spp.
abstract: A new species of demodecid mite, Demodex castoris sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata: Demodecidae), is described based on adult stages from the skin of the nasal region of the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber Linnaeus, 1758, collected in Poland. This is the first detection of a representative demodecid mite in rodents of the suborder Castorimorpha and also represents the first detection of a skin mite in Eurasian beavers. The new species is a small skin mite (average 173 µm in length) characterized by sexual dimorphism related to body proportions. D. castoris sp. nov. was observed in 4 out of 6 beavers examined (66.6%), with a mean intensity of 10.8 and an intensity range of 2-23 ind. host(-1). This paper also contains a checklist of parasitic arthropods known from Castor spp.
authors: Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
authors: Joanna N
authors: JN
authors: Izdebska
authors: Sławomira
authors: S
authors: Fryderyk
authors: Leszek
authors: L
authors: Rolbiecki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008925:Mites / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity