A revision of the chigger genus Afrotrombicula (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) Author Stekolnikov, Alexandr A. text Zootaxa 2023 2023-07-31 5323 1 27 55 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5323.1.2 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5323.1.2 1175-5326 8203863 69FB16D4-9691-4D4D-9DEC-704BA325E07D Afrotrombicula ( Afrotrombicula ) nicolei ( Taufflieb, 1958 ) , comb. nov. ( Figs. 5 , 6 ) Neotrombicula nicolei Taufflieb, 1958: 418 , fig. 2; Stekolnikov 2018: 181 . Neotrombicula ( Neotrombicula ) nicolei : Vercammen-Grandjean 1965: 71 . Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-B-3-3111.1000; fPp = B/B/NNB; PL> AM> AL (PL> AL> AM); fD = 2H-6-6-6(5)+(22– 27); DS = 38–46; V = 52–64; NDV = 90–110; palpal femur, genu, and tibia with multiple puncta; palpal femoral seta heavily branched, palpal genual seta with few short branches; shape of scutum between pentagonal and hexagonal; scutal puncta dense and small; posterior scutal margin prominent, rounded, almost straight in center; f 1 at level of S 1 ; f 2 at level of S 2 ; Ip = 1066–1147. Standard measurements are given in Table 2 . FIGURE 5. Afrotrombicula nicolei ( Taufflieb, 1958 ) , comb. nov. , holotype. A , dorsal aspect of idiosoma; B , ventral aspect of idiosoma; C , dorsal idiosomal seta; D , preanal seta. Abbreviations: cxI, leg coxa I; cxII, leg coxa II; cxIII, leg coxa III; H, humeral seta; sta, anterior sternal setae; stp, posterior sternal setae; u, uropore (anus); V, ventral idiosomal setae. Borders between rows of setae are shown by dotted lines. Scale bars: 100 µm ( A, B ), 20 µm ( C, D ). FIGURE 6. Afrotrombicula nicolei ( Taufflieb, 1958 ) , comb. nov. , holotype. A , scutum (eyes not shown); B , dorsal aspect of gnathosoma; C , ventral aspect of gnathosoma; D , leg I, genu–tarsus; E , leg I, trochanter–telofemur; F , leg II, trochanter–tarsus; G , leg III, trochanter–telofemur; H , leg III, genu–tarsus. Abbreviations: AL, anterolateral scutal seta; AM, anteromedian scutal seta; Cb, cheliceral base; Cs, cheliceral blade; Ga, galeal (deutorostral) seta; ga, genuala I ( σ ); gm, genuala II ( σ ); gns, gnathocoxal (tritorostral) seta; gp, genuala III ( σ ); f 1 , microtarsala I ( ε ); f 2 , microtarsala II ( ε ); ic, infracapitulum (gnathobase, gnathocoxa); Mt, mastitarsala; PC, palpal claw (odontus); PF, palpal femur; PG, palpal genu; PL, posterolateral scutal seta; pST, parasubterminala ( z ); PT’, pretarsala I ( ζ ); PT”, pretarsala II ( ζ ); PTa, palpal tarsus; PTi, palpal tibia; S, sensillum (trichobothrium); S 0 , palpal tarsala ( ω ); S 1 , leg tarsala I ( ω ); S 2 , leg tarsala II ( ω ); ST, leg subterminala ( ζ ); ta, tibiala I ( φ ); tm, tibiala II ( φ ); tp, tibiala III ( φ ); ζ, palpal subterminala ( ζ ); µga, microgenuala I ( κ ); µta, microtibiala I ( κ ). Scale bars: 50 µm ( A, D–H ), 20 µm ( B, C ). TABLE 2. Morphometric (AW– S 2 , µm) and meristic (DS–NDV) traits of Afrotrombicula nicolei and A. nigeriensis .

A. nicolei	A. nigeriensis (n = 7)
Holotype	Topotypic specimen	Original description*	Range	Mean	Literature data**
AW	80	82	81	78–80	79	79
PW	93	93	96	80–87	85	86
SB	31	30	31	28–32	30	30
ASB	34	36	34	28–31	30	30
PSB	43	44	44	45–49	46	45
SD	77	80	78	73–78	76	75
P-PL	28	-	-	-	-	-
AP	44	44	44	34–42	39	41
AM	61	58	65	50–55	53	53
AL	50	61	58	41–48	46	47
PL	98	98	98	67–77	71	70
S	-	-	90	66–73	69	74
H	82	77	91	60–69	64	63
D min	48	49	50	34–38	35	36
D max	75	73	75	55–66	59	60
V min	34	32	25	26–32	29	30
V max	58	58	64	41–50	45	46
pa	366	407	382	320–349	330	286
pm	311	338	331	272–288	280	256
pp	389	402	400	309–340	324	304
Ip	1066	1147	1113	908–963	934	846
TaIIIL	103	109	106	83–89	87	-
TaIIIW	23	24	-	23–24	24	-
dmt	32	34	-	23–27	25	-
S1	22	-	24	-	-	18
S2	15	-	17	-	-	-
DS	42	46	38	37–50	44	-
V	58	64	52	51–67	59	-
NDV	100	110	90	97–107	103	112

Note. *—after Taufflieb (1958) ; **—after Kolebinova & Vercammen-Grandjean (1981) . Type deposition. Holotype (60B 1) and one paratype (60B 2) in MNHN ; one paratype in MHNG ; one paratype was in the collection of Abonnenc; three paratypes were in the collection of Taufflieb. Distribution and hosts. This species was described from Congo (vicinities of Brazzaville), ex ears of Dasymys incomtus (Sundevall) , Lophuromys sikapusi (Temminck) , and Oenomys hypoxanthus (Pucheran) ( Rodentia : Muridae ). Type material examined. Holotype ( MNHN 60 B 1) ex Oenomys hypoxanthus , B/ville (Brazzaville)-[19]56. Additional material examined. One topotypic specimen ( MHNG ), 2046-2, ex Dasymys incomtus , Gango Luigolo (obviously, Gangalingolo = Nganga Lingolo, 4°19′43″ S , 15°09′24″ E ), Congo-[19]62, from Taufflieb .