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Journals / Acarological Studies / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 2

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

Kosta Y. Mumcuoğlu(The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)0000-0001-8125-6099
Harold Salant(Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University, Rehovot)0000-0002-7792-0759
Gad Baneth(Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University, Rehovot)0000-0002-7549-1305
Yaarit Nachum-Biala(Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University, Rehovot)0000-0001-7336-4698
Andrei Daniel Mihalca(University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca)0000-0001-6076-7914
Andreea Daniela Iani(University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca)0009-0003-7448-0588
Georgiana Deak(University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca)0000-0001-6604-0839
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-06-24
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

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.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Out of 55 roadkill mustelid carcasses collected in Romania, 42 (76.4%) belonged to the Eurasian badger, Meles meles.
📊
Key Findings & Data:In total, 20 (36.36%) of the Eurasian badgers were positive for Baloghella melis mites.
💡
Conclusion & Impact: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.
🔬Design:Lab & Field Experiment
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Eurasian badger · Meles meles · Baloghella mellis

Abstract

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.

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Cite This Article

Mumcuoğlu, K. Y., Salant, H., Baneth, G., Nachum-Biala, Y., Mihalca, A. D., Iani, A. D., Deak, G. (2026). Auricular mites in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) from Romania with a focus on Baloghella melis. Acarological Studies, Volume: 8 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.47121/acarolstud.1934314

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