Auricular mites in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) from Romania with a focus on Baloghella melis

Out of 55 roadkill mustelid carcasses collected in Romania, 42 (76.4%) belonged to the Eurasian badger, Meles meles. The presence of mites in the external auditory canal of these hosts was investigated. In total, 20 (36.36%) of the Eurasian badgers were positive for Baloghella melis mites. A total of 1,331 mite specimens were isolated from the infested animals, of which 1,328 (99.8%) were deutonymphs (hypopi) and three (0.2%) were tritonymphs. In two badgers, a male of the ear mite Otodectes cynotis, and the larva of an unidentified trombiculid mite were found positive for B. melis. Two pooled samples of B. melis were sequenced and showed high coverage and identity with the Glycyphagus hypudaei complex. To the best of our knowledge B. melis was described for the first time in the Eurasian badger in Romania, while O. cynotis was described for the first time in the Eurasian badger.