''Spinturnix'' is a genus of

mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods) of two large orders, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as eac ...

s in the family

Spinturnicidae Spinturnicidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. The mites are highly specialized parasites of wing or tail membrane or bats. Some species infest eyelids and eye canthi. The species of Spinturnicidae are found in bat habitats throug ...

. ''Spinturnix'' mites are an ectoparasite found on species of

bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...

s. They live exclusively on the wing and tail membranes and are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. ''Spinturnix'' mites are a host specific species, meaning they have a few major host species that they prefer, as well as a few less frequently used hosts. In short, these mites will not infect arbitrary bat species. Their selection of host tends to align with the host species that lives closest to their local environment. ''Spinturnix'' mites are found strictly on Microchiroptera. These mites are

hematophagous Hematophagy (sometimes spelled haematophagy or hematophagia) is the practice by certain animals of feeding on blood (from the Greek words αἷμα ' "blood" and φαγεῖν ' "to eat"). Since blood is a fluid tissue rich in nutritious pr ...

, meaning they feed on the blood of their host. They cannot survive without a host for more than a few hours. Therefore, transmission of mites to other hosts must occur by close contact, such as a bat in a roost. ''Spinturnix'' mites are crab-like in appearance. Males have a shield-shaped plate on their underside and a pointed abdomen, while females have teardrop shaped shields and a rounded abdomen. The adaptive claws of the mite allows it to grip the wing membrane and efficiently keep hold of their host, even when their host is in flight.

Life cycle

''Spinturnix'' reproduce sexually, but have been shown to align their reproductive cycle on that of its host, specifically by infesting newborns, which are a vulnerable host. In ''Spinturnix'' mites, the egg and larva are embryonated and thus an active protonymph is born. The deuteronymph, which is the second stage of the life cycle, actively parasitizes and is similar to an adult mite in size and appearance. It has been demonstrated that ''Spinturnix'' mites end their reproduction and metamorphosis in winter, when their host species go into hibernation cycles. The life cycle of these mites is extremely shortened, which contributes to the instinct to preserve the offspring. ''Spinturnix'' mites spend their entire life cycle on the host species.

Distribution

''Spinturnix'' mites can be found globally. They have been seen on bat species from North America to Asia to Europe to Africa.

Host preference

Studies have shown that ''Spinturnix'' mites are more prevalent on female hosts than male hosts. There is a higher survival rate for the mites when on a female host. However, ''Spinturnix'' mites also show preference towards subadult male hosts. Young host bats that are still dependent on their mother also show a high infestation rate. These preferences demonstrate the ''Spinturnix'' mite's ability to detect the host that they find to be the most beneficial to their survival.

Clinical significance

''Spinturnix'' mites have a strong influence on the health and fitness of their host species of bats. These mites have the strongest impact during the maternity period of bat species. It has been demonstrated that pregnant or lactating bats have experienced increased oxygen consumption and weight loss due to ''Spinturnix'' infestations. Due to their hematophagous nature, these mites can cause anemia, lethargy, and loss of appetite in bats as well.

Species

These 51 species belong to the genus ''Spinturnix'': * '' Spinturnix abyssinica'' Hirst, 1927 - Africa * '' Spinturnix acuminata'' (C. L. Koch, 1836) - Europe, Asia, North Africa * '' Spinturnix aelleni'' Benoit, 1959 - Africa * '' Spinturnix americana'' (Banks, 1902) - North, Central, and South America * '' Spinturnix bakeri'' Rudnick, 1960 - North, Central, and South America * '' Spinturnix banksi'' Rudnick, 1960 - Central United States * '' Spinturnix bechsteini'' Deunff, Walter, Bellido & Volleth, 2004 - Europe, North Africa * '' Spinturnix bregetovae'' Stanyukovich, 1996 - Mongolia, eastern Russian * '' Spinturnix brevisetosa'' Gu & C. S. Wang, 1984 - China * '' Spinturnix chiengmai'' Prasad, 1970 - Thailand * '' Spinturnix dasycnemi'' (Kolenati, 1856) - Europe * '' Spinturnix daubentonii'' (Kolenati, 1857) - Palearctic * '' Spinturnix delacruzi'' Estrada-Peña, Ballesta & Ibañez, 1992 - Equatorial Guinea * '' Spinturnix domrowi'' Deunff & Volleth, 1987 - Malaysia * '' Spinturnix emarginata'' (Kolenati, 1856) - Palearctic * '' Spinturnix eptesici'' Domrow, 1972 - Australia * '' Spinturnix faini'' Benoit, 1959 - DR Congo * '' Spinturnix globosa'' (Rudnick, 1960) - North and Central America * '' Spinturnix intecta'' Dusbábek & Bergmans, 1980 - Nigeria * '' Spinturnix kolenatii'' Oudemans, 1910 - Palearctic * '' Spinturnix kolenatoides'' Ye & Ma, 1996 - China * '' Spinturnix lawrencei'' Zumpt, 1951 - Africa * '' Spinturnix loricata'' Domrow, 1972 - Australia * '' Spinturnix maedai'' Uchikawa & Wada, 1979 - Japan * '' Spinturnix mexicana'' Rudnick, 1960 - Mexico * '' Spinturnix multisetosa'' Rudnick, 1960 - Madagascar * '' Spinturnix myoti'' (Kolenati, 1856) - Europe, Asia, Middle East * '' Spinturnix mystacina'' (Kolenati, 1857) - Palearctic * '' Spinturnix nobleti'' Deunff, Volleth, Keller & Aellen, 1990 - Palearctic * '' Spinturnix novaehollandiae'' Hirst, 1931 - Australia * '' Spinturnix nudata'' Allred, 1969 - Pakistan * '' Spinturnix orri'' Rudnick, 1960 - Mexico, United States * '' Spinturnix paracuminata'' Baker & Delfinado, 1964 - Papua New Guinea * '' Spinturnix pindarensis'' Bhat, 1973 - India * '' Spinturnix plecotina'' (C. L. Koch, 1839) - Europe, Asia, North Africa * '' Spinturnix psi'' (Kolenati, 1856) - Europa, Asia, Africa, Australia, Oceania, * '' Spinturnix punctata'' (Sundevall, 1833) - Palearctic * '' Spinturnix rudnicki'' Advani & Vazirani, 1981 - India * '' Spinturnix scotophili'' Zumpt & Till, 1954 - Africa * '' Spinturnix scuticornis'' Dusbábek, 1970 - Afghanistan, Taiwan * '' Spinturnix semilunaris'' DeMeillon & Lavoipierre, 1944 - Africa, Middle East * '' Spinturnix setosus'' Pan & Teng, 1973 - China * '' Spinturnix sinica'' Gu & C. S. Wang, 1984 - China * '' Spinturnix subacuminata'' Furman, 1966 - Neotropics * '' Spinturnix surinamensis'' Dusbábek & Lukoschus, 1971 - Neotropics * '' Spinturnix tibetensis'' Teng, 1981 - Tibet, Philippines * '' Spinturnix traubi'' Morales-Malacara & López, 1998 - Mexico * '' Spinturnix tylonycterisi'' Deunff & Volleth, 1989 - Malaysia * '' Spinturnix uchikawai'' Orlova, Zhigalin & Zhigalina, 2015 Russia (Kuril Islands) * '' Spinturnix walkerae'' Zumpt & Till, 1954 - Africa * '' Spinturnix wilsoni'' Prasad, 1969 - Papua New Guinea

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10911809 Mesostigmata Acari genera Taxa named by Carl von Heyden