We evaluated various characters, inclusive of those observable rapidly and intuitionally, as taxonomic criteria for Spinturnix mites. In addition to the form and nature of idiosomal armatures, and chaetotaxy on idiosoma, idiosomal armatures and legs that have been widely used as taxonomic criteria, the topography of proteronotal setae, dorsal scales, ornamentations on the dorsal shield, sternal or stemo-genital shield, and venter of proximal leg segments were proved to be characteristic of a species. As the first step for putting the taxonomy of European species in order, the myoti, acuminata, camificina and psi species groups were defined to show morphological properties characteristic of each species or species group. Known species were relegated to the respective groups as many as possible. Spinturnix orientalis Turk was transferred to Emballonuria gen. n. The new genus was characterized by its 3 pairs of proteronotal setae, hooked spermadactyl, unique patterns of dorsal cuticle and dorsal shield, large tritostemum, anal shield with anal cribrum, relatively short peritreme and peritremal shield not reaching to the venter, short posterior seta of coxa II, and unique leg pattern. Spinturnix helvatiae Deunff, Keller et Aellen was relegated to a subspecies of Spinturnix acuminata (C. L; Koch).
We studied variations in the abundance of parasitic spinturnicid mites in relation to the gender, age and body condition of bats living in different habitats. Populations of Spinturnix myoti Kolenati, 1856 (Acari: Spinturnicidae), an ectoparasite of the bat Myotis myotis (Borkhausen) (Mammalia: Chiroptera), were investigated in two types of roosts differing in microclimatic conditions: caves (low temperature and high humidity) and attics (high temperature and low humidity). Our data suggest that bats from cave nursery colonies harbour more parasites than those from attic colonies, irrespective of host sex or age. In underground colonies, adult females and their young differ in the mean abundance of parasites, whereas no such differences were found in attic colonies. Non-lactating females from underground roosts and lactating females from attic colonies had similar parasite loads, were lower than those of adult lactating females from caves. A negative correlation between the host body condition index and parasite load was found only in the most infected sex/age group of bats. In spite of significant differences in parasite load, the mean abundance of particular life stages of mites seems to be independent of the type of roost occupied by the host, its sex or age. However, in attic colonies the number of female deutonymphs was twice that of male deutonymphs, whereas in cave colonies the proportions of the sexes were similar. We suggest that the microclimate of the host's roosts may influence ectoparasite abundance through pressure on the sex ratio in the nymphal stages of mites.