Leptotrombidium imphalum Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976

STEKOLNIKOV, ALEXANDR A., 2013, <strong> <em> Leptotrombidium </ em> (Acari: Trombiculidae) of the World </ strong>, Zootaxa 3728 (1), pp. 1-173 : 66

111. Leptotrombidium imphalum Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) imphalum imphalum Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976: 255 , pl. 11.

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) imphalum, Li, Wang & Chen 1997: 136 , fig. 2-1-45; Fernandes & Kulkarni 2003: 119.

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) imphalum ceylonicum Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976: 258 , pls. 13, 14; Fernandes & Kulkarni 2003: 119.

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) imphalum sabahense Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976: 257 , pls. 12, 16, syn. nov.

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) chiangraiensis Tanskul and Linthicum, 1997: 368 , figs. 1–9, syn. nov.

Diagnosis. fPp = N/N/BNN; Pc = 3; Gn = 2; fSc: PL> AM> AL; SB/PL; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fD = 2H-8-6-6-4- 2; DS = 28–30; VS = 24–28; NDV = 52–58; Ip = 740–796; AW 53–62, PW 62–73, SB 24–30, ASB 25–28, PSB 12–14, SD 38–42, AP 27–31, AM 49–56, AL 40–48, PL 50–57, S 64–75, H 50–59, D min 40–46, D max 53–58, V min 33–38, V max 45–50, pa 260–282, pm 218–239, pp 260–282.

L. imphalum ceylonicum : fSc: PL ≥ AM> AL; fD = 2H-8-6-6-4-2; DS = 28–30; VS = 20–24; NDV = 50–58; Ip = 729–768; AW 60–66, PW 69–82, SB 27–32, ASB 26–28, PSB 13–14, SD 39–42, AP 27–30, AM 51–60, AL 38–46, PL 49–66, S 74–84, H 50–65, D min 40–47, D max 49–66, V min 30–36, V max 40–56, pa 252–272, pm 220–230, pp 251–266.

L. imphalum sabahense : fSc: PL> AM> AL; fD = 2H-8-6-6-6-2; DS = 28–31; VS = 22–28; NDV = 52–58; Ip = 728–767; AW 57–66, PW 65–73, SB 24–31, ASB 25–28, PSB 13–16, SD 40–43, AP 26–31, AM 44–60, AL 42– 48, PL 57–65, S 70–78, H 53–62, D min 40–50, D max 51–58, V min 30–37, V max 45–54, pa 251–266, pm 218–234, pp 247–270.

L. chiangraiensis : fSc: PL> AM> AL; fD = 2H-8-6-6-6-2; DS = 30; VS = 22; NDV = 52; Ip = 741–821; AW 50–58, PW 64–72, SB 23–27, ASB 25–29, PSB 11–14, SD 36–43, AP 25–30, AM 44–55, AL 36–41, PL 50–58, S 52–69, H 53–58, D min 49, D max 59, V min 30, V max 36, pa 252–288, pm 221–243, pp 268–290.

Type data. India, Assam State, from Rattus tanezumi Temminck [= Rattus flavipectus yunnanensis (Anderson) ] ( L. imphalum ); Sri Lanka, Colombo District, from Bandicota bengalensis (Gray) (“bandicoot”) ( L. imphalum ceylonicum ); Malaysia, Sabah State, host unknown (description was based on free mites) ( L. imphalum sabahense ); Thailand, Chiang Rai Province, Mae Chan District, from Rattus losea (Swinhoe) ( L. chiangraiensis ).

Remarks. Diagnoses of the subspecies L. imphalum ceylonicum and L. imphalum sabahense do not allow identification of new materials. Therefore I consider them as synonyms. L. chiangraiensis differs from L. imphalum in the shape of scutal and dorsal idiosomal setae only. This difference is slight and cannot support separation of this species.