Mesostigmata, G.Canestrini, 1891

Howell, Lindsey, Jelden, Katelyn, Rácz, Elizabeth, Gardner, Scott L. & Gettinger, Donald, 2016, Arthropods infesting small mammals (Insectivora and Rodentia) near Cedar Point Biological Station in southwestern Nebraska, Insecta Mundi 2016 (478), pp. 1-16 : 10

Acari: Mesostigmata : Laelapidae : Hirstionyssinae

We record the presence of four species of hirstionyssine mites on small mammals. These mites are very small (<500 micrometers), haematophagous, and probably nidicolous ( Radovsky 1969). However, we have found no references to their common occurrence in nest substrates, and all active stages were collected by brushing host pelage. Because of their small body size, these mites are difficult to identify to species from material in alcohol, and must be mounted on slides and examined with a compound microscope for positive identification.