Family RHINONYSSIDAE Trouessart, 1895

Museums

Regional Maps

• Rhinonyssinae Trouessart, E.L. 1895. Note sur un acarien parasite des fosses nasales de l'oie domestique (Sternostomum rhinolethrum, n. sp.). Revue des Sciences Naturelles Appliquées 42: 392-394.

Introduction

The Rhinonyssidae is a family of endoparasites that infect the lungs, respiratory passages, and air sacs of birds, where they feed on blood and other tissues (Lindquist et al. 2009). These mites are very common and widespread, and can be found in a very high proportion of bird species. Their presence can cause rhinitis, lung congestion, and sinusitis in the host. The best known species is the lung mite Sternostoma tracheacolum, which is a serious pest of both captive and wild birds world-wide (Mullen & OConnor 2009). The Australian fauna is very rich, with 90 species in eight genera (catalogued by Domrow 1988). Sternostoma laniorum Fain, 1956 was recorded by Domrow (1965 and elsewhere). This record was a misidentification of S. cuculorum Fain, 1956.

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

Rhinonyssidae: Sternostoma laniorum Fain, 1956 — Fain, A. 1956. Les acariens de la famille Rhinonyssidae Vitzthum 1935 parasites des fosses nasales des Oiseaux au Ruanda-Urundi. Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines 53: 131-157

General References

Domrow, R. 1965. New laelapid nasal mites from Australian birds. Acarologia 7: 430-460

Domrow, R. 1988. Acari Mesostigmata parasitic on Australian vertebrates: an annotated checklist, keys and bibliography. Invertebrate Taxonomy 1: 817-948

Lindquist, E.E., Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. 2009. Order Mesostigmata. pp.124-232 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

Mullen, G.R. & OConnor, B.M. 2009. Mites (Acari). pp. 433-492 in Mullen, G.R. & Durden, L.A. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Amsterdam : Elsevier 2.

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