Afrotrombicula (Afrotrombicula) centrafricana ( Goff, 1995 ) Stekolnikov, 2023

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A., 2023, A revision of the chigger genus Afrotrombicula (Acariformes: Trombiculidae), Zootaxa 5323 (1), pp. 27-55 : 44-45

Afrotrombicula (Afrotrombicula) centrafricana ( Goff, 1995) , comb. nov.

Neotrombicula centrafricana Goff, 1995: 14 , fig. 2; Stekolnikov 2018: 179 .

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-B-3-3111.1000; fPp = B/B/NNB; PL> AM> AL; fD = 2H-6-6-6-4-4-2; DS = 30; V = 36; NDV = 66; posterior scutal margin biconvex; f 1 at level of S 1; f 2 behind S 2; Ip = 887–905 (after Goff 1995). Standard measurements are in Table 4 .

Type deposition. Holotype in USNM; paratypes in USNM and BPBM, according to the original description

( Goff 1995). However, no material on this species was included in the recently published catalogue of the USNM collection, which currently incorporates the chigger collection of BPBM ( Bassini-Silva et al. 2021).

Distribution and host. This species was described from an unknown locality of Central Africa ex Allenopithecus nigroviridis (Pocock) ( Primates : Cercopithecidae ). Stekolnikov (2018) noted that distribution of this host is restricted to NW DR Congo and NE Angola ( Wilson & Reeder 2005).

Remarks. Afrotrombicula centrafricana is very similar to A. zairiensis and differs from it in the posterior scutal margin slightly concave in the central part vs. straight, and fD = 2H-6-6-6-4-4-2 vs. 2H-6-6-4-4-4-2(3). Possibly, after examination of extensive materials, A. centrafricana could be synonymized with A. zairiensis .