Leonid B. Rybalov

Characteristics of resting and breeding habitats of adult sand flies in the Judean Desert

ABSTRACT: Recently, in several areas of the Middle East, a sharp increase of cutaneous leishmaniasis was observed in suburbs of larger towns including Jerusalem. In some of these areas, poor housing conditions and unsuitable waste management was suspected to provide ideal conditions for sand fly breeding, but hard data on diurnal resting sites and breeding habitats of most sand fly species are scant. In this study, we chose 16 sites on both slopes and the bottom of a natural valley in the Judean Desert to conduct a survey of sand fly distribution with emergence traps. Altogether, 1,261 sand flies, 52% Phlebotomus syriacus, 22% P. sergenti, 14% P. papatasi and 12% P. tobbi were caught. About two thirds of the flies caught were resting, while the other third emerged from breeding sites. All four species showed clear preferences for resting and breeding sites, but generally, most sand flies were breeding in the more humid habitats, namely the bottom of the valley, the adjacent north facing slope, terraces on the north facing slope, and caves. The vegetation cover also appeared to be important for resting habitats; on the bottom of the valley more than six times as many sand flies were collected in areas covered by dense vegetation than in areas with low vegetation cover. P. sergenti seemed also to better tolerate the drier habitats, which might explain the abundance of this species in the arid Judean Desert.

Characteristics of Resting Habitats of Adult Phlebotomus papatasi in Neot Hakikar, an Oasis South of the Dead Sea

ABSTRACT: Knowledge about diurnal resting sites of sand flies is scanty and often anecdotal. In this study, we explored a part natural - part agricultural oasis in Neot Hakikar, Israel, looking for sand fly resting sites. To achieve this, we developed a new type of emergence trap. Sixteen types of microhabitats were examined and in seven of these, we also investigated the rodent burrows. We found that Phlebotomus papatasi showed clear preferences for resting sites characterized by vegetation cover, type of vegetation, and the presence of a mulch layer. In habitats with bare soil and little shade, few or no resting sand flies were found outside rodent burrows. Apart from the trunks of date trees, most resting P. papatasi were found in disturbed habitats, especially in large piles of organic waste and in a plowed field. Though catches from rodent burrow exits were always higher than from the nearby ground, it is safe to assume that the few burrows in this vast oasis do not play an important role for breeding and resting of P. papatasi. It also appears that disturbing the natural environment further increases the already considerable sand fly population.

Three new species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnoidea) from Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Three new species of oribatid mites of the superfamily Galumnoidea, Galumna lanceosensilla n. sp., Trichogalumna africana n. sp. (both Galumnidae), and Galumnopsis giganteus n. sp. (Galumnellidae), are proposed and described. All new species were collected in soil from Bale Mountains National Park of Southern Ethiopia.

A new species of Dolicheremaeus (Acari: Oribatida: Tetracondylidae) from Ethiopia

Abstract The oribatid mite genus Dolicheremaeus comprises more than 160 species. We describe a new species, Dolicheremaeus aethiopicus sp. nov., collected in soil from Bale Mountains National Park (African region, Ethiopia). This new species differs from other species by a combination of the length of prodorsal setae; morphology of rostral setae and sensilli; morphology and number of notogastral condyles and the morphology of the notogastral setae; number of epimeral setae; and the morphology of leg setae u.

A new species of the genus Pergalumna (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) collected in moss on trees from Ethiopia

Abstract The oribatid mite genus Pergalumna Grandjean, 1936 (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) comprises 111 species. We describe the species Pergalumna makarovae sp. nov., collected in moss on trees from Bale Mountains National Park (southern Ethiopia). The new species is distinguishable from other species of Pergalumna by the presence of the following character states in combination: smooth surface of body, clavate sensilli, minute interlamellar setae, three pairs of rounded notogastral areae porosae and complete dorsosejugal suture.

Ethiopian oribatid mites of the family Scheloribatidae (Acari : Oribatida)

ABSTRACT We have registered eight species and three genera (Scheloribates Berlese, 1908, Similobates Mahunka, 1982, Perscheloribates Hammer, 1973) of Scheloribatidae from southern Ethiopia. Two species of Scheloribates—S. discifer and S. latipes—and the genus Perscheloribates are reported from Ethiopia for the first time. Two new species, Scheloribates acutirostrum sp. n. and Perscheloribates crassisetosus sp. n. from Cholomu and Harenna forests, are described. The first is from soil, litter and mosses on trees, while the second is from litter. Identification keys to Ethiopian species of Scheloribates and African species of Perscheloribates are presented.

Morphology of Juvenile Stages of Pedrocortesella africana Pletzen, 1963 and Aleurodamaeus africanus Mahunka, 1984 (Acari: Oribatida)

Abstract. The morphology of juvenile stages of the oribatid mites Pedrocortesella africana Pletzen, 1963 and Aleurodamaeus africanus Mahunka, 1984 is described and illustrated. The juveniles of Pedrocortesella africana are characterized by: cuticle with reticular ornamentation and folds; body with microgranular cerotegument; prodorsal setae leaf-shaped, sensilli petiolate, tuberculate blades with a rounded distal margin; gastronotic region flat; larva and nymphs with nine pairs of leaf-shaped gastronotic setae; scalps folded, larval scalp with seven pairs of setae, nymphal scalps with six pairs of setae; leg famulus sunken. The juveniles of Aleurodamaeus africanus are characterized by: cuticle smooth; body with filamentous cerotegument and with very not numerous granules; prodorsal setae setiform (except short interlamellar setae in nymphs); gastronotic region convex in lateral aspect; larva and nymphs with 12 of setiform gastronotic setae; scalps with reticular ornamentation, larval scalp with nine pairs of setae, nymphal scalps with ten pairs of setae; leg famulus emergent. The comparative analysis between known juveniles in Plateremaeoidea and Gymnodamaeoidea are given.

A new species of Separatoppia (Acari: Oribatida: Oppiidae) from Ethiopia

Abstract The oribatid mite genus Separatoppia currently comprises four previously described species. We describe a new species, Separatoppia horvathae sp. nov., collected from soil in the Harenna forest within the Bale Mountains National Park (southeastern Ethiopia). This new species differs from its congeners by the extremely long sensilli. We present the first description of the ovipositor, gnathosoma and leg setation and solenidia of a Separatoppia species.

MORPHOLOGY OF JUVENILE STAGES OF METABELBA GLABRISETA MAHUNKA, 1982 AND DAMAEUS AURITUS KOCH, 1835 (ACARI: ORIBATIDA: DAMAEIDAE)

Abstract. The morphology of juvenile stages of the oribatid mites Metabelba glabriseta Mahunka, 1982 and Damaeus auritus Koch, 1835 (Damaeidae) is described and illustrated. The juveniles of Metabelba glabriseta are characterized by: cuticle smooth, with rare folds and also with slightly developed reticulate ornamentation dorso-laterally; cerotegument of body with conical or strongly oblong granules, that of some body setae cloud-like; rostral and lamellar setae of approximately identical length, with hardly developed barbs; sensilli with long flagellate tips, smooth; gastronotic region rounded posteriorly; almost all gastronotic setae with small flagellate tips, barbed, setae lp longest in larva, setae c1, c2, h1 longest in nymphs; cornicle k of nymphs long, slightly curled, distally slightly swollen and longitudinally split; all legs of juveniles shorter than body; setae d and v” on trochanter III appear in adult; famulus emergent. The juveniles of Damaeus auritus are characterized by: cuticle smooth, with rare folds; cerotegument of body with spherical granules, body setae without cerotegument; prodorsal setae barbed, setae ex and larval setae in short, strong, sensilli thickened, but with thin, bent tips; gastronotic region truncate (in larva) or rounded (in nymphs) posteriorly; some gastronotic setae vane-like; cornicle k of nymphs short, strong, conical; all legs (except II in nymphs) of juveniles longer than body. Famulus sunken. Juveniles are compared among the known species of Metabelba and Damaeus, and also among the genera Metabelba, Damaeus and Epidamaeus.

Two new species of Austrocarabodes (Uluguroides) from Ethiopia (Acari: Oribatida: Carabodidae).

Abstract. Two new species of oribatid mites of the subgenus Austrocarabodes (Uluguroides), A. (U.) arboreus sp. nov. and A (U.) aethiopicus sp. nov., are described from Ethiopia. The former species was obtained in mosses on trees from Cholomu Forest (10 km to the south from Ginchi city); the second species was obtained from soil from Harenna Forest (Bale Mountains National Park). Both new species differ from all known species of the subgenus by presence of eight to nine pairs of genital setae (five-six in other species). A diagnostic key to African species of Austrocarabodes (Uluguroides) is presented.