Afrotrombicula (Tauffliebicula) nyongae ( Taufflieb and Mouchet, 1959 )

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A., 2023, A revision of the chigger genus Afrotrombicula (Acariformes: Trombiculidae), Zootaxa 5323 (1), pp. 27-55 : 49-50

Afrotrombicula (Tauffliebicula) nyongae ( Taufflieb and Mouchet, 1959)

( Figs. 15 , 16 )

Trombicula nyongae Taufflieb and Mouchet, 1959: 231 , pl. 2; Zumpt 1961: 138.

Neotrombicula (Neotrombicula) nyongae: Vercammen-Grandjean 1965: 71 .

Afrotrombicula (Tauffliebicula) nyongae: Kolebinova & Vercammen-Grandjean 1978: 108 , pl. 3.

Afrotrombicula nyongae: Stekolnikov 2018: 123 .

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-B-3-3111.0000; fPp = B/B/NNB; PL> AM>AL; fD = 2H-6-6-6-6(5)-4(5)-2(5); DS = 32–35; V = 48–54; NDV = 83–86; palpal femur with sparse puncta; scutal and idiosomal setae heavily barbed; branches of gnathosomal setae very long; scutum small, nearly pentagonal, with sparse puncta; posterior scutal margin weakly prominent, arquate; f 1 behind S 1; f 2 proximal to S 2; Ip = 894. Standard measurements are given in Table 6 .

Note. *—after Taufflieb & Mouchet (1959); **—after Taufflieb (1966).

Type deposition. Holotype (60F 2) and five paratypes (60F 1, 3; 60G 14, 15, 16) in MNHN.

Distribution and hosts. This species was described from Cameroon (Yaoundé) ex Praomys tullbergi , Lophuromys sp. , and Grammomys sp. (syn. Thamnomys sp. ) ( Rodentia : Muridae ). Kolebinova & Vercammen-Grandjean (1978) briefly reported its presence in Angola (Dundo) on “insectivores ( Potamogale ) and bats”. The source of this information remains unclear.

Type material examined. Holotype ( MNHN 60 F 2) ex Praomys tullbergi , Cameroun-[19]55.

Remarks. Kolebinova & Vercammen-Grandjean (1978) placed this species in Afrotrombicula (Tauffliebicula) , but erroneously used the combination “ Neotrombicula (Tauffliebicula) nyongae ”.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Afrotrombicula nyongae (Taufflieb and Mouchet, 1959), holotype. A, dorsal aspect of idiosoma; B, ventral aspect of idiosoma (anus invisible); C, dorsal idiosomal seta; D, preanal seta. Abbreviations as in Fig. 5. Scale bars: 100 µm (A, B), 20 µm (C, D).

FIGURE 16. Afrotrombicula nyongae (Taufflieb and Mouchet, 1959), holotype. A, scutum (eyes not shown); B, dorsal aspect of gnathosoma (lateral palpal tibial seta invisible); C, ventral aspect of gnathosoma; D, leg I, trochanter–telofemur; E, leg I, genu–tarsus (pretarsus invisible); F, leg I, pretarsus; G, leg II, trochanter–tarsus; H, leg III, trochanter–telofemur; I, leg III, genu–tarsus.Abbreviations as in Fig. 6. Scale bars: 50 µm (A, D–I), 20 µm (B, C).