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In this study 308 ticks (Ixodes ariadnae: 26 larvae, 14 nymphs, five females; I. vespertilionis: 89 larvae, 27 nymphs, eight females; I. simplex: 80 larvae, 50 nymphs, nine females) have been collected from 200 individuals of 17 bat species in two countries, Hungary and Romania. After DNA extraction these ticks were molecularly analysed for the presence of piroplasm DNA. In Hungary I. ariadnae was most frequently identified from bat species in the family Vespertilionidae, whereas I. vespertilionis was associated with Rhinolophidae. Ixodes ariadnae was not found in Romania. Four, four and one new bat host species of I. ariadnae, I. vespertilionis and I. simplex were identified, respectively. DNA sequences of piroplasms were detected in 20 bat ticks (15 larvae, four nymphs and one female). I. simplex carried piroplasm DNA sequences significantly more frequently than I. vespertilionis. In I. ariadnae only Babesia vesperuginis DNA was detected, whereas in I. vespertilionis sequences of both B. vesperuginis and B. crassa. From I. simplex the DNA of B. canis, Theileria capreoli, T. orientalis and Theileria sp. OT3 were amplified, as well as a shorter sequence of the zoonotic B. venatorum. Bat ticks are not known to infest dogs or ruminants, i.e. typical hosts and reservoirs of piroplasms molecularly identified in I. vespertilionis and I. simplex. Therefore, DNA sequences of piroplasms detected in these bat ticks most likely originated from the blood of their respective bat hosts. This may indicate either that bats are susceptible to a broader range of piroplasms than previously thought, or at least the DNA of piroplasms may pass through the gut barrier of bats during digestion of relevant arthropod vectors. In light of these findings, the role of bats in the epidemiology of piroplasmoses deserves further investigation.

Phymatodiscidae fam. nov. is diagnosed, with Phymatodiscus as the type genus. A new genus, Bardizon gen. nov. , with Bardizon eotvosi sp. nov. (from Indonesia) as the type species, is erected to accommodate the Phymatodiscus species with an eye-like dorsal depression. Six Phymatodiscus species are reclassified as Bardizon : B. aokii (Hiramatsu, 1985), comb. nov. , B. haradai (Hiramatsu, 1985), comb. nov. , B. oculatus (Hirschmann, 1977), comb. nov. , B. kuni (Kontschán & Starý, 2011), comb. nov. , B. insolitus (Kontschán & Ripka, 2016), comb. nov. , and B. malayicus (Kontschán & Starý, 2012), comb. nov. The new species differs from the previously described congeners in the sculptural pattern, the shapes of the dorsal and ventral setae, and the sculptural pattern of the sternal shield of the male and the genital shield of the female. A list of all known phymatodiscid species is presented. Phymatodiscus titanicus (Berlese, 1905) is moved to the genus Bostocktrachys : B. titanicus (Berlese, 1905), comb. nov. (family Trachyuropodidae).

Background From a veterinary-medical point of view, the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans , is perhaps the economically most important blood-sucking muscoid fly species (Diptera: Muscidae), owing to its worldwide occurrence, frequently high local abundance, direct harm caused to livestock, pet animals and humans, as well as its vector role. Considering the latter in the context of protozoan parasites, the stable fly is a mechanical vector of trypanosomes and Besnoitia besnoiti . However, its role as a vector of piroplasms appears to be seldom studied, despite old data suggesting mechanical transmission of babesiae by dipteran flies. Methods In this study 395 stable flies (and one Haematobia stimulans ) were collected at a cattle farm with known history of bovine theileriosis, and at further nine, randomly chosen locations in Hungary. These flies were separated according to sex (30 of them also cut into two parts: the head with mouthparts and the thorax-abdomen), followed by individual DNA extraction, then screening for piroplasms by PCR and sequencing. Results In stable flies, Theileria orientalis  and T. capreoli were identified at the cattle farm and T. equi was identified in three other locations. At the cattle farm, significantly more male stable flies carried piroplasm DNA than females. There was no significant difference between the ratio of PCR-positive flies between the stable (void of cattle for at least two hours) and the pen on the pasture with cattle at the time of sampling. Among dissected flies (29 S. calcitrans and 1 H. stimulans ), exclusively the thoracic-abdominal parts were PCR-positive, whereas the head and mouthparts remained negative. Conclusions Theileria DNA is detectable in stable flies, in the case of T. orientalis at least for two hours after blood-feeding, and in the case of T. capreoli also in the absence of infected hosts (i.e. roe deer). Male flies rather than females, and thoracic-abdominal (most likely crop) contents rather than mouthparts may pose a risk of mechanical transmission. These data suggest that it is worth to study further the vector role of stable flies in the epidemiology of theilerioses, in which not the immediate, but rather the delayed type transmission seems possible.

The genus Elegansovella Hirschmann, 1989 (Mesostigmata: Uropodina: Urodinychidae) is resurrected for species of the Uroobovella elegans -group. This genus differs from the other taxa of Uroobovella Berlese, 1903 sensu lato based on the shape of the idiosoma and the caudal and dorsal setae. Three species from the Uroobovella elegans -group are transferred to the genus Elegansovella , as E. pectintata (Hirschmann, 1973), comb. nov. , E. pectinatasimilis (Hiramatsu, 1980), comb. nov. and E. serangensis (Hiramatsu, 1980), comb. nov. The other seven species from this species group are transferred to Monstrobovella gen. nov. , as M. crustosa (Vitzthum, 1926), comb. nov. , M. enodis (Hiramatsu, 1985), comb. nov. , M. faceta (Hiramatsu & Hirschmann, 1978), comb. nov. , M. facetaoides (Hiramatsu & Hirschmann, 1978), comb. nov. , M. imadatei (Hiramatsu, 1980), comb. nov. , M. incerta (Hiramatsu & Hirschmann, 1978), comb. nov. and M. incertaoides (Hiramatsu & Hirschmann, 1978), comb. nov. The new genus differs from Elegansovella by the shape of the idiosoma and the shape of marginal and dorsal setae. Six Monstrobovella species occur in the Oriental Realm and only one species is known from the Neotropical region. The present paper contains the description of a second Neotropical species of Monstrobovella ( M. mancocapaci sp. nov. ) which was found in Peru. The new species differs from its Neotropical congener in the dorsal and marginal setation.

Background Among hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), the genus Ixodes comprises the highest number of species, which in turn are most numerous in the Afrotropical zoogeographic region. In South Africa extensive morphological studies have been performed on Ixodes species but only few reports included molecular analyses. Methods In this study, 58 Ixodes spp. ticks, collected from ten mammalian and eight avian host species in South Africa, were molecularly and phylogenetically analyzed. In addition, a newly collected sample of the Palearctic Ixodes trianguliceps was included in the analyses. Results Among the ticks from South Africa, 11 species were identified morphologically. The majority of ticks from mammals represented the Ixodes pilosus group with two species ( n  = 20), followed by ticks resembling Ixodes rubicundus ( n  = 18) and Ixodes alluaudi ( n  = 3). In addition, single specimens of Ixodes rhabdomysae , Ixodes ugandanus , Ixodes nairobiensis and Ixodes simplex were also found. Considering bird-infesting ticks, Ixodes theilerae ( n  = 7), Ixodes uriae ( n  = 4) and ticks most similar to Ixodes daveyi (provisionally named I. cf. daveyi , n  = 2) were identified. Molecular analyses confirmed two species in the I. pilosus group and a new species ( I. cf. rubicundus ) closely related to I. rubicundus sensu stricto. Phylogenetic trees based on concatenated mitochondrial or mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences indicated that the subgenus Afrixodes forms a monophyletic clade with bird-associated exophilic ticks (subgenus Trichotoixodes ). Ixodes trianguliceps clustered separately whereas I. alluaudi with their morphologically assigned subgenus, Exopalpiger . Conclusions Phylogenetic analyses shed new lights on the relationships of Ixodes subgenera when including multiple sequences from subgenus Afrixodes and African as well as Palearctic species of subgenera Trichotoixodes and Exopalpiger . Subgenera Afrixodes and bird-associated Trichotoixodes share common ancestry, suggesting that the latter might have also originated in Africa. Regarding the subgenus Exopalpiger , I. alluaudi is properly assigned as it clusters among different Australian Ixodes , whereas I. trianguliceps should be excluded. Graphical Abstract

A new species, Macrocheleskekensis sp. n. , is described based from three specimens associated with a cetoniin beetle ( Hopliahungarica Burmeister, 1844). The new species differs from the other known European macrochelid species in having 29 pairs of dorsal setae, j1 and z1 short and robust, other dorsal setae long and pilose, and the absence of apodemes between the genital and ventrianal shields. This is the 34 th Hungarian macrochelid species.

Background Previous studies on the tick infestation of birds in the Carpathian Basin focused on songbirds (Passeriformes). Thus, the primary aim of the present work was to extend the scope of previous studies, i.e. to include aquatic (water-associated) bird species in a similar context, especially considering that these birds are usually long-distance migrants. Methods Between March 2021 and August 2023, 11,919 birds representing 126 species were checked for the presence of ticks. From 352 birds belonging to 40 species, 905 ixodid ticks were collected. Tick species were identified morphologically and/or molecularly. Results Ticks from avian hosts belonged to seven species: Ixodes ricinus ( n  = 448), I. frontalis ( n  = 31), I. festai ( n  = 2), I. arboricola ( n  = 36), I. lividus ( n  = 4), Haemaphysalis concinna ( n  = 382) and Dermacentor reticulatus ( n  = 2). Nymphs of I. ricinus occurred with a single activity peak around March–May, whereas its larvae typically infested birds in May, June or July. By contrast, H. concinna usually had its activity maximum during the summer (nymphs in June–July, larvae later in July–August). Interestingly, two ornithophilic species, I. frontalis and I. arboricola , were most active around winter months (between October and April). A significantly lower ratio of aquatic birds was found tick-infested than songbirds. Several new tick–host associations were revealed, including I. ricinus from Greylag Goose ( Anser anser ) and D. reticulatus from Great Egret ( Ardea alba ) and Sedge Warbler ( Acrocephalus schoenobaenus ). Ticks were collected for the first time in Europe from two species of predatory birds as well as from Little Bittern ( Ixobrychus minutus ). Bird species typically inhabiting reedbeds were most frequently infested with H. concinna , and most ticks localized at their throat, as opposed to forest-dwelling avian hosts, on which I. ricinus predominated and ticks were more evenly distributed. Conclusions In the evaluated region, aquatic birds appear to be less important in tick dispersal than songbirds. However, newly revealed tick-host associations in this category attest to their hitherto neglected contribution. The results suggest that the habitat type will have significant impact not only on the species composition but also on the feeding location of ticks on birds. Graphical Abstract

Background Trichomonosis is a common infection in small animals, mostly manifesting in gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. Although oral trichomonads are also known, the species found colonizing the large intestine are more frequently detected protozoa. Methods In the present study, four wildcats, 94 domestic cats, and 25 dogs, originating from 18 different locations in Hungary, were investigated for the presence of oral and large intestinal trichomonads based on the 18S rRNA gene and ITS2. Results All oral swabs were negative by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, Tritrichomonas foetus was detected in a high proportion among tested domestic cats (13.8%) and dogs (16%), and Pentatrichomonas hominis only in two domestic cats. In addition, a novel Tritrichomonas genotype was identified in one cat, probably representing a new species that was shown to be phylogenetically most closely related to Tritrichomonas casperi described recently from mice. All positive dogs and half of the positive cats showed symptoms, and among cats, the most frequent breed was the Ragdoll. Conclusions With molecular methods, this study evaluated the prevalence of oral and intestinal trichomonads in clinical samples of dogs and cats from Hungary, providing the first evidence of T. foetus in dogs of this region. In contrast to literature data, P. hominis was more prevalent in cats than in dogs. Finally, a hitherto unknown large intestinal Tritrichomonas species (closely related to T. casperi ) was shown to be present in a cat, raising two possibilities. First, this novel genotype might have been a rodent-associated pseudoparasite in the relevant cat. Otherwise, the cat was actually infected, thus suggesting the role of a predator–prey link in the evolution of this trichomonad. Graphical Abstract

Background Louse flies (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) are important blood-sucking parasites of birds and mammals with a worldwide distribution. The aim of our study was to collect louse flies from birds across multiple sites in Hungary and evaluate the effects of avian traits on louse fly–host relationships. Methods Between 2015 and 2022, 237 louse flies were collected from birds at multiple locations in Hungary. The louse flies were identified to species level by morphological and molecular methods. Louse fly species and their seasonal dynamics were analyzed. Results Six louse fly species were identified: Ornithomya avicularia , Ornithomya fringillina , Ornithomya biloba , Ornithomya chloropus , Ornithoica turdi and Ornithoctona laticornis. Results of statistical analyses indicated that habitat, migration habits and the feeding places of birds have significant effects on their possible role as hosts of O. avicularia , O. fringillina and O. turdi . Analysis of the temporal distribution of avian louse flies showed different seasonal patterns according to species. Phylogenetic analyses highlighted that O. turdi clustered separately from other members of the subfamily Ornithomyinae which thus did not form a monophyletic group. Conclusions This study presents one of the longest continuous collections of ornithophilic louse fly species in Europe so far. Avian traits were shown to influence louse-fly infestation. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on O. laticornis in Europe. The ability of this African louse fly species to survive in Europe, as demonstrated in the present study, may be an indication of its future establishment . Our findings, in accordance with previous reports, also indicated that the subfamily Ornithomyinae should be taxonomically revised. Graphical Abstract

Among true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera), only hematophagous species (families Reduviidae, Cimicidae) have high veterinary and medical significance. In addition, several predatory and plant-feeding bug species, which also have piercing–sucking mouthparts, are known to occasionally bite humans. The majority of such examples are known from the New World. Here, we report the first case concerning the human-biting potential of the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Hemiptera: Coreidae). This is a phytophagous bug species, which has become widespread in North America, and has also been introduced into Europe where it shows a rapidly expanding geographical range.