Schoengastia gerrhosauri Lawrence, 1949

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A., 2024, Revision of South African chiggers (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) originated from the collection of R. F. Lawrence, with redescriptions of nine species, Zootaxa 5493 (1), pp. 1-35 : 26

Schoengastia gerrhosauri Lawrence, 1949

( Fig. 15A )

Schoengastia gerrhosauri Lawrence, 1949: 426 , fig. 13; Wharton & Fuller 1952: 88; Vercammen-Grandjean 1958b: 659, pl. 9; Stekolnikov 2018: 78 .

Schoengastia (Schoengastia) gerrhosauri : Zumpt 1961: 155; Vercammen-Grandjean 1965b: 81.

Diagnosis. AL> PL >>AM; fD = 2H-9-6-6-4-2-2; DS = 31; V = 24; NDV = 55; scutum pentagonal, with moderately projected posterior margin nearly straight in middle; sensillary bases slightly anterior to level of PLs (by 2 µm); Ip = 787. Standard measurements are given in Table 6 .

Distribution and hosts. This species was described from (1) Kranskop, Natal (currently KwaZulu-Natal Prov., South Africa), ex Gerrhosaurus flavigularis Wiegmann ( Squamata: Gerrhosauridae ); (2) Weenen, Kranskop, and Pietermaritzburg, Natal, ex Trachylepis striata (syn. Mabuya striata ); (3) Muller’s pass, Newcastle, Natal, ex Pseudocordylus subviridis .

Material examined. One paratype, larva deposited in NHM (1957-8-12 -36), NM 4833, ex G. flavigularis, Kranskop , collector and date unknown ( Fig. 1 , 24).

Remarks. I was unable to examine gnathosoma and legs of the paratype, which I found in NHM; thus, I give here only measurements and a photography of the scutum. The single non-type specimen deposited in NM was found unsuitable for examination.

Schoengastia gerrhosauri differs from S. monticola in a shorter scutum (ASB 27 vs. 30–33, SD 54 vs. 58–62), shorter PL (43 vs. 48–54), shorter dorsal idiosomal setae (H 38 vs. 40–47, D min 25 vs. 29–36, and D max 31 vs. 38–44), and shorter legs (Ip 787 vs. 889–913). Examination of new materials would add more diagnostic characters.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Slide labels. 1, Microtrombicula homopholis, holotype; 2, Hypotrombidium subquadratum, holotype; 3, Willmannium natalense, lectotype; 4, W. natalense, paralectotype 1; 5, M. nivaria, paratype; 6, Herpetacarus (Abonnencia) alticolus, holotype; 7, H. (A.) alticolus, paratype; 8, H. (A.) alticolus, slide with topotypic specimens; 9, H. (A.) africanus, holotype; 10, H. (A.) africanus, topotypic specimen (ZIN label is on the opposite side); 11, H. (A.) longispinus, holotype; 12, H. (A.) longispinus, topotypic specimen (ZIN label is on the opposite side); 13, Ascoschoengastia rhabdomyia, slide NM 5387; 14, Riedlinia (Trombigastia) cadei, specimen NM 6544/3 (pencil inscription “/3” is mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 15, Schoengastia pseudocordyli, slide NM 4939/1 (pencil inscriptions are mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 16, S. scincicola, holotype; 17, S. scincicola, paratype NM 4870/2; 18, S. scincicola, paratype NHM 1957-8-12-35; 19, S. scincicola, non-type specimen (renounced paratype) NM 4870/3; 20, S. monticola, holotype; 21, S. monticola, paratype NHM 1957-8-12-34; 22, S. monticola, non-type specimen (renounced paratype) NM 4827; 23, S. monticola, specimen NM 4810/1 (pencil inscription “/1” is mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 24, S. gerrhosauri, paratype NHM 1957-8- 12-36; 25, S. mabuyana, paratype NM 26422; 26, S. mabuyana, paratype NM 26423; 27, Microtrombicula (Microtrombicula) zumpti, specimen NM 5871/1 (pencil inscriptions are mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 28, Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana, holotype.

FIGURE 15. Schoengastia gerrhosauri Lawrence, 1949, paratype NHM 1957-8-12-36 (A), Schoengastia mabuyana Lawrence, 1949, paratype NM 26422 (B), Microtrombicula (Microtrombicula) zumpti Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965, specimen NM 5871/1 (C), Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana (Lawrence, 1949), holotype (D). Dorsal aspect of idiosoma (A, B), scutum (C, D). Scale bars: 50 µm.