Rodhainyssus Fain 1956

Genus Rodhainyssus Fain, 1956

Fain 1956: 90, 1957a: 253, 1959a: 4, 1959b: 159, 1959d: 18, 1964b: 42, 1967: 3, 1970: 160, 1972: 71; Fain & Lukoschus 1972: 84.

Type species: Rodhainyssus yunkeri Fain, 1956, by original designation.

Diagnosis. ADULTS. Setae subc present. Posterior margin of gnathosoma with pair of ventral projections, in most species these projections in form of widely rounded lobes. Idiosoma moderately elongated, about 2 times as long as wide, almost rhomboid in outline. Propodonotal shield separated from apodemes I. Idiosomal dorsum and opisthosomal venter covered by distinct striations. Sternum connected or not with ventro-median sclerotization of idiosoma. Oblique and/or transverse sclerotized bands present ventro-medially between coxal fields II. Apodemes III free or fused to each other; apodemes IV distinctly developed. In most species median transverse sclerite present. Coxal fields I bearing membranous posterior projections (absent in R. taphozous). Folds posterior to coxal fields II absent. Coxal fields III–IV slightly sclerotized. Anus situated ventrally. Tarsi shortened, about 3 times shorter than respective tibiae, without pretarsi. Trochanters III–IV with distinct ventral folds or crests (absent in R. taphozous). Idiosomal setation (see Table 1): alveoli si, c2 and f2 present or absent; alveoli ps2 present in males of some species; si alveoli; se, 1a, 3a, h2 all filiform, h2 whip-like; c3, 4a, 4b, g, ps3 all microspines with distinct bases. Leg setation (see Tables 2 and 3): setae s I–IV, kT IV, solenidion ϕIV and solenidion ω 3 I in females absent; setae d I–IV, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II all filiform, d I–IV whip-like, longer than respective tarsi; gT I–II and kT III very short spines; f I–IV, r I–IV, w I–IV – spurlike; solenidion ϕIII rudimentary, in form of small tubercle.

FEMALE. Bursa copulatrix opening dorsal or terminal. Epigynum variable in shape. Posterogynal folds of oviporus smooth. Median fold in most species associated with apodemes IV.

MALE. Pregenital apodeme variable in form. Setae g situated at base of aedeagal cone. Adanal shields absent.

JUVENILE STAGES. Ontogenetic appearance of setae typical for family; no setal delays or ontogentic losses. Larva bearing idiosomal setae si, se, c2, c3, 1a, 3a, h1 and h2, and leg setae d I–III, e I–III, f I–III, r I–III, w I–III, g TI–II, k TIII, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II, solenidia ω 1 I–II, ϕI–III, and famulus ε. Subcapitulum without postero-ventral projections. Apodemes I fused, Y-shaped. Ventral folds on trochanters III absent. In protonymph setae g, f2, and ps3 added on idiosoma, and setae d IV, w IV, and r IV on legs. Ventral folds on trochanters III–IV absent. In tritonymph setae 4a and 4b added on idiosoma, and e IV, f IV on legs. Subcapitulum with postero-ventral projections. Ventral folds of trochanters III–IV present.

Species included: R. balantiopteryx, R. emballonurae, R. eptesicus, R. longipilis, R. miniopteri, R. myotis, R. nycteris, R. nyctophili, R. surinamensis, R. saccopteryx, R. taphozous, R. yunkeri.

Host range and distribution. Cosmopolitan in the nasal passages of microchiropteran bats (Chiroptera) belonging to the families Emballonuridae, Megadermatidae, Molossidae, Nycteridae, and Vespertilionidae (see Tables 6 and 7).