Ricardo Bassini-Silva1,2, Matheus Huang-Bastos3,4, Cal Welbourn5, Ron Ochoa6, Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti3,7, Fernando de Castro Jacinavicius4. 1. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo (FMVZ-USP), Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva Avenue, 87, São Paulo, SP, 055-08270, Brazil. ricardo.bassini@gmail.com. 2. Laboratório de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ricardo.bassini@gmail.com. 3. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo (FMVZ-USP), Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva Avenue, 87, São Paulo, SP, 055-08270, Brazil. 4. Laboratório de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. 5. Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, National Insect and Mite Collection, Washington, D. C., USA. 6. Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, USA. 7. Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Caribbean country Jamaica has only seven reported chigger species. Of these, one was recorded from bats. METHODS: For the specimens examined in this study were provided drawings, measurements, and microscopy images on a Microscope Zeiss. This material is deposited in the Smithsonian National Chigger Collection. RESULTS: In the present study, we describe a new genus and species parasitizing the Antillean ghost-faced bat in Jamaica. This new genus can be separated from all other genera of this family for the following combination of features: (1) palptarsus with four branched and three nude setae; (2) 3-pronged odontus; (3) femur I divided into basifemur and telofemur; and (4) 3 σ on genu I. CONCLUSION: The description of this new genus contributes to the increase in the knowledge of chiggers that parasites bats in Jamaica. Also, this is only the second record of a chigger parasitizing this host in this country.
BACKGROUND: The Caribbean country Jamaica has only seven reported chigger species. Of these, one was recorded from bats. METHODS: For the specimens examined in this study were provided drawings, measurements, and microscopy images on a Microscope Zeiss. This material is deposited in the Smithsonian National Chigger Collection. RESULTS: In the present study, we describe a new genus and species parasitizing the Antillean ghost-faced bat in Jamaica. This new genus can be separated from all other genera of this family for the following combination of features: (1) palptarsus with four branched and three nude setae; (2) 3-pronged odontus; (3) femur I divided into basifemur and telofemur; and (4) 3 σ on genu I. CONCLUSION: The description of this new genus contributes to the increase in the knowledge of chiggers that parasites bats in Jamaica. Also, this is only the second record of a chigger parasitizing this host in this country.
Entities:
Keywords:
Bat; Central America; Chiggers; Ectoparasites; New species