Investigation on the species of parasitic mites living on the bodies of rodents in Shandong Province

Objective To investigate the species and distribution of parasitic mites on rodents in Shandong Province.Methods Ectoparasites were collected from rodents caught in five cities and counties of Shandong Province.Results In total,186 rodents were caught and 723 parasitic mites were collected.These mites belonged to 5 families,7 genera,and 11 species.Of these,there were chigger mites belonging to 1 family,3 genera,and 5 species.Nine dominant chigger species accounted for 451 of the mites,representing 62.38% of the total mites.Gamasid mites in 4 families,4 genera,and 6 species accounted for 272 of the mites,representing 37.62% of the total mites.The species of parasitic mites varied in different rodents species.Conclusion This study provided a basis for further studies of the species and distribution of rodent ectoparasites in regions of Shandong Province.