Mites of the Genus Binuncus Radford (Trombidiformes, Myobiidae) and Information on Host Taxonomy Deduced from Them

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Abstract
Mites of the genus Binuncus, taken from museum specimens of Megachiroptera, were studied. Nine new species [B. myonycteris, B. lissonycteris, B. scotonycteris, B. epomopsi, B. hypsignathis, B. chironaxi, B. thoopteris, B. haplonycteris, B. sphaeriasi], a Binuncus (Binuncus) magnus (nom. nov.] complex and host records for 5 known species are presented. A total of 20 species and the species complex were divided into 4 groups by differences in the morphology of the male genital shields. Binuncus (Binuncus) jamesoni (Hiregaudar and Bal) and Binuncus (Binuncus) eonycteris Uchikawa, Harada, Yenbutra and Ohtani were regarded as being the most primitive. Binuncus (Binuncus) magnus (Radford) and others in the complex, and Binuncus (Binuncus) eidoloni Fain presumably stemmed from ancestors similar to the "primitive" species. All the 7 Ethiopian species of Binuncus other than Binuncus (Binuncus) rousett Fain and B. (B.) eidoloni are also thought to have been derived from the same stock. The remaining 7 species of the subgenera Binuncus and Probinuncus, which are distributed in the Oriental and Australasian regions, possess genital shields of a type that is considered to have evolved from that commonly found in B. (B.) magnus and its relatives as well as B. (B.) eidoloni. This group also includes all species of the genus Pteropimyobia Fain regardless of striking morphological differences in structures on leg I. The relationships among the mites are thought to parallel those of their hosts, and a phylogeny of Megachiroptera is proposed based on the myobiid mites known to parasitize them.

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