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Abstract
A series of African chigger mites from the collection donated by Alex Fain (1912-2009) to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is revised. One new genus and species, Makwacarus petrodromi n. gen., n. sp. from an elephant shrew Petrodromus tetradactylus tordayi Thomas and two new species, Herpetacarus junkeri n. sp. from a snake Boaedon fuliginosus (Boie) and Microtrombicula livingstonei n. sp. from a lizard Holaspis guentheri Gray, are described from DR Congo. One new subjective synonym is proposed: Schoutedenichia musaranei Taufflieb, 1966 (= Schoutedenichia tanzaniaensis Goff, 1983, n. syn). Nineteen species have been recorded in new countries and/or on new hosts for the first time. Nine of them have been found outside their type localities for the first time. In total, the examined collection now includes 27 species belonging to 14 genera and collected from rodents, bats, tenrecs, elephant shrews, primates, birds, lizards and snakes of DR Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and South Africa
Highlights
Chigger mites attract the attention of parasitologists since the beginning of last century, as a very diverse and ecologically flexible group of temporary parasites with a significant medical and veterinary importance
443 chigger mite species belonging to 61 genera were found previously in Africa, but 73% of this number is still known from their type localities only
Identified African chigger specimens from the collection of IRSNB belong to two subfamilies (Gahrliepiinae and Trombiculinae, including tribes Schoengastiini and Trombiculini), 14 genera and 27 species listed below
Summary
Chigger mites attract the attention of parasitologists since the beginning of last century, as a very diverse and ecologically flexible group of temporary parasites with a significant medical and veterinary importance. Trombiculids provide a wide field for elementary taxonomic investigations including descriptions of new genera and species, as well as inventory of chigger fauna in previously unexplored countries or regions. 443 chigger mite species belonging to 61 genera were found previously in Africa, but 73% of this number is still known from their type localities only. It means that we know little about chigger fauna of the continent beyond an approximate data of species composition. Geographic ranges of species, faunistic complexes of different biomes, such as savannah, tropical rain forests or deserts, and true number of endemic species remain unknown
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