Spinturnix, Von Heyden, 1826

van Schaik, A. J., Bruyndonckx, N., Kerth, G. & Christe, P., 2011, Isolation And Characterisation Of Microsatellite Loci For Two Species Of Spinturnicid Bat Wing Mites (Spinturnix Myoti And Spinturnix Bechsteini), Acarologia 51 (1), pp. 127-131 : 127

Spinturnix wing mites are haematophagous, perma-

nent parasites and all life stages are confined to the wing membrane or uropatagium of their host.

Due to this obligate life history these species make excellent parasites to study host-parasite coevolution and coadaptation. Patterns of coadaptation depend greatly on population structure and gene flow among distinct populations (e.g., Gandon et al., 1996), as well as on reproductive mode ( Barrett et al., 2008). As these attributes are difficult to determine directly in small organisms, they require the use of indirect methods such as the use of population genetic markers ( de Meeus et al., 2007). To date no microsatellite markers have been developed for Spinturnix , or any other bat ectoparasite. Furthermore, several population genetic studies have encountered problems when studying the Acari due to a strong underrepresentation of dinucleotide repeat microsatellites ( Navajas et al., 1998), as well as non-mendelian transmission of microsatellite alleles ( de Meeus et al., 2004). Here, we report the development of polymorphic dinucleotide repeat microsatellites for two species of Spinturnix mites.