Bertrandiella otophila (Hunter and Loomis)

Paredes-León, Ricardo, Klompen, Hans & Pérez, Tila M., 2012, Systematic revision of the genera Geckobiella Hirst, 1917 and Hirstiella Berlese, 1920 (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with description of a new genus for American species parasites on geckos formerly placed in Hirstiella, Zootaxa 3510, pp. 1-40 : 19

Bertrandiella otophila (Hunter and Loomis) new combination

Hirstiella otophila Hunter and Loomis, 1966: 683 .

Diagnosis. Female. Prodorsal shield triangular bearing 3 pairs of peripectinate setae (vi, ve and sci) and with posterior end as wide as distance between setae vi (not acute ending). Tarsus I with long solenidion ω 2 with slightly longer companion seta ft.

Male. Prodorsal shield trapezoid in shape with posterior margin wider than anterior and with 4 pairs of long peripectinate setae (vi, ve, sci and c1). Companion seta ft longer than solenidion ω 2.

Type. Female HOLOTYPE at Chigger Research Collection at California State University, Long Beach, California, USA ( CSULB); female, male, deutonymphal and larval PARATYPES at CSULB, USNMC, OSAL, University of Kansas, University of California at Riverside and Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas ( Hunter & Loomis 1966); deutonymphal and male PARATYPES (BM(NH)).

Type locality. Barstow, San Bernardino Co., California, USA.

Type host. Coleonyx variegatus (Baird) .

Material examined. 1 deutonymphal PARATYPE ex Coleonyx variegatus , USA, California, San Bernardino Co., Barstow 2 mi S, 1 March 1964, coll. W. L. Hunter (BM(NH)); 1 male PARATYPE ex Coleonyx variegatus , USA, California, Riverside Co., 5.8 mi NW Desert Center on New rd to Eagle, J. C. Geest (BM(NH)). 2 females ex Coleonyx brevis , MEXICO, Coahuila, San Pedro de las Colonias, Santa Eulalia, 1250 m asl, 19 June 1994, W. Schmidt ( CNAC 004416–17).

Remarks. This species appears to be a specific ectoparasite of Eublepharidae and Phyllodactylidae (see Table 3 ).