Family HARPIRHYNCHIDAE Dubinin, 1957

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• Harpirhynchidae Dubinin, V.B. 1957. New classification of the mites of the superfamilies Cheyletoidea W. Dub. & Demodicoidea W. Dub. (Acariformes, Trombidiformes). Parazitologicheskii Sbornik 17: 71-136.

Introduction

Mites in the familyy Harpirhynchidae are ectoparasites that occur on the skin and feathers of birds and under the scales of snakes (Walter et al. 2009). The species that occur on snakes have sometimes been placed in the separate family Ophioptidae. The most extensive recent study of the family is by Bochkov et al. (1999), who recognised 14 genera. Domrow (1991) reported three species of Harpirhynchus and three undescribed species of Harpypalpus on Australian birds, and a single species of Ophioptes from a snake. Those totals have increased to ten species in six genera as a result of recent research.

General References

Bochkov, A.V., Mironov, S.V. & Fain, A. 1999. Phylogeny and host-parasite relationships of the mite family Harpirhynchidae (Acari, Prostigmata). Acarina. Russian Journal of Acarology 7: 69–87

Domrow, R. 1991. Acari Prostigmata (excluding Trombiculidae) parasitic on Australian vertebrates : an annotated checklist, keys and bibliography. Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 1238-1376

Walter, D.E., Lindquist, E.E., Smith, I.M., Cook, D.R. & Krantz, G.W. 2009. Order Trombidiformes. pp. 233-420 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

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