Laelaps is a genus of common parasitic mites in the family Laelapidae. Species, with their hosts, include: Laelaps acuminata – Oecomys Laelaps agilis – Rattus Laelaps alaskensis – Blarina, Dicrostonyx, Lemmiscus, Lemmus, Microtus, Mustela, Myodes, Myotis, Napaeozapus, Ochrotomys, Ondatra, Onychomys, Parascalops, Peromyscus, Phenacomys, Poliocitellus, Sorex, Synaptomys, Thomomys Laelaps boultoni – Neacomys, Sigmodon, Oligoryzomys, Oecomys, Heteromys Laelaps castroi – Oligoryzomys Laelaps clethrionomydis – Microtus, Myodes Laelaps conula – Rhipidomys Laelaps crinigera – Oryzomyini Laelaps dearmasi – Zygodontomys Laelaps differens Laelaps echidnina – Rattus, Didelphis, Sigmodon, Mus, Peromyscus, Sylvilagus Laelaps evansi – Neofiber Laelaps exceptionalis – "wild rat" Laelaps flexa – Microryzomys Laelaps giganteus – Lemniscomys Laelaps incilis – Microtus, Neotamias, Peromyscus Laelaps kochi – Blarina, Corynorhinus, Dicrostonyx, Dipodomys, Glaucomys, Microtus, Mustela, Myodes, Napaeozapus, Neotamias, Neovison, Neurotrichus, Ondatra, Peromyscus, Phenacomys, Sigmodon, Sorex, Synaptomys, Tamias, Zapus Laelaps lavieri – Mus Laelaps lemmi – Lemmus Laelaps liberiensis – Mastomys Laelaps manguinhosi – Holochilus, Nectomys, Neusticomys, and various other mammals Laelaps mazzai – Calomys, Oligoryzomys Laelaps multispinosa – Castor, Didelphis, Microtus, Mustela, Neovison, Ondatra, Peromyscus, Procyon Laelaps muricola – Mastomys Laelaps muris – Microtus, Ondatra Laelaps navasi – Oryzomyini Laelaps nuttalli – Mus, Ochrotomys, Peromyscus, Rattus, Sciurus Laelaps ovata – Nephelomys Laelaps paulistanensis – Rhipidomys, Oryzomyini Laelaps pilifer – Oryzomyini Laelaps spicata – Oryzomyini Laelaps stupkai – Synaptomys Laelaps surcomata – Rhipidomys Laelaps thori
Unnamed or unidentified species have been reported on Gerbilliscus robustus and Acomys wilsoni in Tanzania and on the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) in Florida and Georgia.
Synonym of Dryptosaurus
In 1866, an incomplete theropod dinosaur skeleton (ANSP 9995) was found in New Jersey by workers in a quarry belonging to the upper part of the New Egypt Formation. Paleontologist E.D. Cope described the remains, naming the creature "Laelaps" ("storm wind", after the dog in Greek mythology that never failed to catch what it was hunting). "Laelaps" became one of the first dinosaurs described from North America (following Hadrosaurus, Aublysodon and Trachodon). Subsequently, it was discovered that the name "Laelaps" had already been given to a genus of mite, and Cope's lifelong rival O.C. Marsh changed the name in 1877 to Dryptosaurus.
See also
List of parasites of the marsh rice rat
References
Literature cited
Furman, D.P. 1972. Laelapid mites (Laelapidae: Laelapinae) from Venezuela. Brigham Young University Science Bulletin 17(3):1–58. Morlan, H.B. 1952. Host relationships and seasonal abundance of some Southwest Georgia ectoparasites (subscription required). American Midland Naturalist 48(1):74–93. Stanley, W.T., Rogers, M.A., Senzota, R.B.M., Mturi, F.A., Kihaule, P.M., Moehlman, P.D. and O'Connor, B.M. 2007. Surveys of small mammals in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. Journal of East African Natural History 96(1):47–71. Whitaker, J.O. and Wilson, N. 1974. Host and distribution lists of mites (Acari), parasitic and phoretic, in the hair of wild mammals of North America, north of Mexico (subscription required). American Midland Naturalist 91(1):1–67. Whitaker, J.O., Walters, B.L., Castor, L.K., Ritzi, C.M. and Wilson, N. 2007. Host and distribution lists of mites (Acari), parasitic and phoretic, in the hair or on the skin of North American wild mammals north of Mexico: records since 1974. Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 1:1–173. Worth, C.B. 1950. Observations on ectoparasites of some small mammals in Everglades National Park and Hillsborough County, Florida (subscription required). The Journal of Parasitology 36(4):326–335.