Records of mites and lice from wild rabbits collected throughout Great Britain

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Abstract
Specimens of 33 spp. of mitex (Acari) and of 1 sp. of louse (Anoplura) were taken from a collection of 374 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). These rabbits had been obtained from throughout Great Britain, with at least 1 rabbit from each of the 92 administrative counties. The mites Listrophorus gibbus, Cheyletiella parasitivorax, and Neotrombicula autumnalis and the louse Haemodipsus ventricosus were found frequently and they were distributed throughout Great Britain. The tick Ixodes riclnus and an orabatid mite Northrus palustris were each present on 6-7% of the rabbits. N. palustris has been recorded from the nests of small mammals in the U.S.S.R. but has not been found previously on rabbits and the significance of its presence is not known. The remaining species of mites were found infrequently although many were species often recorded from the nests, and sometimes the bodies, of small mammals. Information relating to the significance that mites and lice might have as natural vectors of myxoma virus is discussed.