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The structural features of the parasite fauna of the European smelt are considered. The parasite fauna of the smelt is taxonomically quite diverse, comprising 65 species of 14 classes. Cestodes, trematodes, nematodes and acanthocephalans are the most numerous, constituting 71% of the total number of species. The fraction of species-, genus- and family-specific osmerid parasites constitutes 7% of the total number of smelt parasitic species. Protozoans are a small group (9 species), but diverse in relation to the number of higher taxa (6 classes). Monogeneans, leeches, and bivalves are represented by a single species in each class. Ecologically, the parasite fauna of the smelt is also diverse, with three major groups of species: parasites of the Arctic freshwater complex, associated with salmonids, corego-nids, osmerids and lotids; boreal flatland faunal complex, associated with percids, esocids and cyprinids (dominants in the fish population of sub-Arctic freshwater bodies); and marine faunal complex typical of marine fish and mammals living in northern seas. Parasites of salmonoid fish are the primary contributors to the parasite fauna of the smelt.

The article presents new data on the ectoparasite fauna of several species of vesper and horseshoe bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae, Rhinolophidae) of the Crimean Peninsula. In the studied territory, 11 species of ectoparasites (mites and insects) have been collected from 6 bat species, 2 of ectoparasite species were new for Crimea. Findings of gamasid mites Ichoronyssus scutatus on an unusual host are discussed. The gamasid mite Spinturnix emarginatus (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina) has been described for the territory of Russia for the first time.

The fauna of chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) from migratory birds was studied in 2008—2009 and 2017 in the Curonian Spit — «Rybachy» biological station of the Zoological Institute RAS. As a result, 33 species of chewing lice were collected from 2010 birds of 65 species. An annotated list of species is presented, including 12 species new for Russian Federation and 2 new hosts records (Menacanthus eurysternus from Carduelllis carduellis and Ricinus frenatus from Carduellis spinus).

The order Chiroptera comprises more than 1.300 species that are hosts for more than 1.000 species of ticks and mites and of about 700 insect species; many of these parasites are involved in circulation of numerous pathogens. The present paper presents the first and most complicated review of literature on pathogens associated with bat ectoparasites. Specific bat ectoparasites can be vectors of a wide spectrum of bacterial pathogens (Borrelia, Bartonella, Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia), a number of protozoan (hemosporidia, Babesia) and virus (tick-borne encephalitis virus, Issyk-Kul virus and other) pathogens, and also nematodes (filaria). Bacterial and viral pathogens are distributed among ectoparasites of bats not uniformly. The bacterium Bartonella sp. was the microorganism most frequently isolated from blood-sucking arthropods; different strains of this pathogen were separated from all groups of studied ectoparasites; Bartonella sp. was the only causative agent associated with bat flies streblids and ixodid ticks. Bat fleas are vectors of only two pathogens (Rickettsia helvetica and Bartonella sp.). Bacteria Borrelia sp., Coxiella sp., Anaplasma sp., and Ehrlichia sp. were isolated only from parasitic ticks and mites. Viruses isolated from insects (nycteribiids, bat bugs) and argasid mites are represented mainly by representatives of the families Bunyaviridae and Rhabdoviridae. Protozoans are represented by sporozoan parasites of the orders Piroplasmida and Haemosporida. The DNA of the filarial worm was isolated from a gamasid mite belonging to the family Spinturnicidae. Representatives of the most common and widespread families of bats (Vespertilionidae, Phyllostomidae, and Pteropodidae) are hosts of the majority of ectoparasites from which pathogens were isolated. The ability of some bat ectoparasites to reproduce during host hibernation makes the transmission of microorganisms in the winter possible. For the territories of the former USSR, a few number of pathogens associated with bat parasites are known (e. g. Issyk-Kul virus, TBE virus). For the territory of Russian Federation, such data are absent.

The data on studies of total lipid content and its fractional composition in liver, kidney, and spleen tissues of the bream infested with plerocercoids of Ligula intestinalis is given. Plerocercoid infestation results in the deregulation of the lipid metabolism, shift of the lipid fraction balance, and the decrease of the adaptation potential. The dependence of the atudied parameters on the size of the parasite and its developmental stage is demonstrated. The most significant differences were observed between mature fish infested and non-infested with parasites.

The study of the ereynetal organ by means of light microscopy in mites Ereynetes exilis Fain et Prasse, 1973, Laurenacarus eweri dahuricus Zabludovskaya, 1992, Coboydaya nigra Fain, 1985, and Paraspeleognathopsis bakeri (Fain, 1955), and also by meaqns of scanning and transmitting electron microscopy in the mite Ricardoella oudemansi Thor, 1932 demonstrated that the submerged solenidion, the main part the organ, is characterized by fine struictural features typical of olfactory sensilla of mites.

Summary is absent.