First record of the chigger mite Whartonia sonorensis Hoffman 1960 (Acari: Leeuwenhoekiidae) parasitizing the long-legged bat, Myotis volans Allen 1866 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from central Mexico

Bats have a close relationship with their ectoparasites, such as chigger mites, which can affect their physiological, ecological, and evolutionary processes. In recent decades, several studies have examined new records of ectoparasites in bats, providing key information about the dynamics of bat populations. We captured a Myotis volans Allen 1866 parasitized by chigger mites in a coniferous forest in central Mexico. We extracted 24 mites from the bat’s ear. According to morphology, mites corresponded to Whartonia sonorensis Hoffmann 1960. Our report is the first record of the chigger mite W. sonorensis parasitizing M. volans and the second record worldwide that reports the association of W. sonorensis with a bat of the family Vespertilionidae.