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searchable PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

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Family HeterozerconidaeSpecimens of Discozercon sp. were removed froma large centipede collected in Cueva de Taninul n. I,San Luis PotosI. Undetermined specimens probablybelonging to the genus Heterozercon were found inthe sediment of jars from Cueva de la Mina, Tamaulipas,and Cueva de EI Ocote, Hidalgo. The hosts wereprobably rhachodesmid millipeds.Family LaelapidaeBonet (1953a) reported the presence of undeterminedlaelapids of the subfamily Laelapinae in sixcaves of the Xilitla region, San Luis Potosi. Haemolaelapsglasgowi (Ewing) was reported by Wharton(1938) from the carcass of a paca in Grutas de Balankanche,Yucatan; it has recently been collected fromswallow guano in Actun Xpukil, Yu~atan.Family MacrochelidaeMacrocheles coprophila Womersley is a guano inhabitingspecies known from Cueva de la Hoya, SanLuis Potosi (Bonet, 1953a). Undetermined specimensof the same genus were reported from Cuevadel Jobo, San Luis Potosi (Bonet, 1953a).Family PolyaspidaeA single species of polyaspid mite, Dipolyaspissp., was reported from three caves in the Xilitla region,San Luis Potosi, by Bonet (1953a).Family SpelaeorhynchidaeThe unusual bat parasite, Spelaeorhynchus praecursorNeumann, was reported from caves in SanLuis Potosi and Tabasco by Hoffmann and de Barrera(1970).Family SpinturnicidaeThe spinturnicid mites are important parasites ofbats and are frequently present on the animals inlarge numbers. In areas of large bat deposits thisgroup of mites may be extremely abundant on theguano. Rudnick (1960) has revised the family. Threespecies have been found on bats in caves: Periglischrusiheringi Oudemans in Yucatan; P. vargasi Hoffmannin Chiapas and Tabasco; and Spinturnix carloshoffmanniHoffmann in Tamaulipas.Family TrachytidaeThis little-known family is represented in <strong>Mexican</strong>caves only by specimens of the genus Uroseius fromCueva de Los Sabinos, San Luis Potosi.Family TrematureUidaeBonet (1953a) reported the presence of Trematurellasp. in one cave in Queretaro and three in SanLuis Potosi.Family UropodidaeThe family Uropodidae is a frequently collectedfamily in <strong>Mexican</strong> caves. Uropoda pearsei Whartonwas described from Cenote de Sambula (Motul), Yucatan(Wharton, 1938). Although Nicholas (1962)lists this species as a troglobite, it is certainly a troglophilicguanophile. It has been recently collected atthe type-locality from guano in a small crawlway atthe end of the cave.Suborder MetastigmataFamily ArgasidaeTwelve species of argasid tick have been found inthe caves of Mexico, but many are only accidentalvisitors. Species of the genera Antricola, Ornithodoros,and Nothoaspis are frequently found and areof some importance to the cave ecosystem. Antricolacoprophilus (McIntosh), A. marginatus (Banks), andA. mexicanus Hoffmann have all been found to beabundant in guano in bat caves in several parts ofMexico. The immature stages are parasites of bats,but the adults appear to be free-living in the guano.At times A. mexicanus is present in vast numbers.At least five species of the genus Ornithodoros occurin <strong>Mexican</strong> caves, but these are usually not found inlarge numbers and probably have merely dropped offthe bats or other host mammal. A unique new genusand species of argasid tick, Nothoaspis reddelli, wasrecently described from Grutas de Xtacumbilxunam,Campeche, by Keirans and Clif<strong>for</strong>d (1975). It hasalso been found in Actun Xpukil, Yucatan, andCueva del Azufre, Tabasco (Keirans et al., 1977). Itis probably a parasite of the old man bat, Mormoopsmegalophylla.Family IxodidaeThree species of ixodid tick of the genus Amblyommahave been reported from caves in several statesof Mexico. All probably were parasites of small mammalsusing the cave entrance area <strong>for</strong> shelter.Suborder ProstigmataThe suborder Prostigmata is represented in <strong>Mexican</strong>caves by 17 families and includes the most interestingspecies in the order with respect to the cavefauna. Marshall (1936) reported specimens of thefamilies Arrenuridae, Hydrachnidae, Hydrodromidae,168

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