Abstract:
Six species of adult oribatid mites (Galumna racilis, Kilimabates pilosus, Kilimabates sp., Scheloribates
fusifer, Muliercula ngoyensis and Zygoribatula undulata) and two immature stages belonging to
the superfamilies Galumnoidea and Ceratozetoidea were isolated from a
lawn (mixed Pennisetum and Cynodon spp.) at Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South
Africa. The mites were subsequently used in an infection trial using
Moniezia expansa eggs. Tapeworm cysticercoids were recovered in G. racilis,
K. pilosus, Kilimabates sp., S. fusifer, M. ngoyensis and Z. undulata, as well as in immatures of Ceratozetoidea. The percentage
of infected mites was 7.6, 6.3, 16.4, 66.7, 57.1, 60.0 and 46.7%,
respectively. Immatures of Galumnoidea did not become infected. The highest
number of cysticercoids isolated from one individual was six from an adult S. fusifer.
