A New Species of Chigger (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Indonesia and Current Differentiation of Trombicula Berlese, 1905 Sensu Stricto Group.

BACKGROUND: Two new species of chiggers in the two genera (Chiroptella Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 and Rudnicula Vercammen-Grandjean, 1964) have been described in Indonesia since 2020. The checklist of all known bat-infesting chiggers has also been compiled for Indonesia. It summarizes 16 species in 9 genera of chiggers parasitizing 12 bat species belonging to 5 families collected on 8 Indonesian islands. Nine specimens collected in 2020 on Nusa Penida Island were not included in the checklist because of their uncertain taxonomy. In the current paper, we resolve the taxonomy of these specimens belonging to Trombicula sensu stricto group. We also revise the existing characters of this group and provide new characters helping with the clear definition of this taxa. METHODS: Hosts and chiggers were captured in February 2020 in Nusa Penida Islands in Indonesia using standard bat-capturing and parasite-collecting methods. For the specimens examined in this study were provided drawings, measurements, and microscopy images. This type material is deposited in the Slovak and Czech National museums. RESULTS: In the paper, we describe a new species parasitizing diadem leaf-nosed bat in the Goa Peteng cave on Nusa Penida Island (Lesser Sunda Islands, East Indonesia). This new species differs from all related species by the presence of a very long tarsala I (S1). A key to the larvae of all seven known Trombicula s. s. species is provided. The differentiation of Trombicula s. s. group is based on leg segmentation fsp = 6.6.6, rugose scutum with complete AM, AL and PL setation, and fT = 5B, 5BN or 4B2N. CONCLUSION: A new species within the genus Trombicula, group minor has been described. The new species also increases the number of known chiggers in Indonesia and the number of species parasitizing the host species Hipposideros diadema. Trombicula s. s. has also been revised and more clearly defined.

Sex identification in Australian skinks (Egernia stokesii, E. hosmeri, E. striolata) using cloacoscopy.

Thirteen adult healthy captive skinks, six Gidgee spiny-tailed skinks (Egernia stokesii), three Hosmer's spiny-tailed skinks (Egernia hosmeri) and four tree crevice-skinks (Egernia striolata), were submitted to the study. The weight of the animals ranged from 28 g to 146 g. All skinks were explored during their putative mating season, which is December. Lizards were restrained manually and positioned in ventral recumbence. Cloacoscopy was performed with the rigid endoscope, protecting channel, endocamera and recording system Telepack-Pal (Karl Storz Endoskope, Tuttlingen, Germany). While the endoscope was gently introduced into the cloaca and advanced into the coprodeum sterile saline was flushed into the cloaca through the protecting channel. The endoscope was then slowly withdrawn to allow visualization of the main structures of the urodeum and proctodeum. Male skinks are characterized by the presence of urethral papillae and only one horizontal septum which divides the chamber of the urodeum into two subchambers. Female skinks are characterised by the presence of two septa. The central-dorsal fold that divides the urodeum into two pouches in female skinks is absent in males. Cloacoscopy proved an effective method of sex identification and can be considered a valuable method for breeding and conservation in monomorphic skink lizards.

Bat-Infesting Chiggers (Trombiculidae) in Indonesia: Current Review, Distribution, and Hosts with Three New Records and their Morphometric Data.

PURPOSE: Even though the taxonomy of bat-infesting chiggers has been studied extensively, information about the distribution and morphological variability of many species is still lacking. In fact, the only available distribution records for several species are their type localities. The purpose of this paper is to broaden the knowledge of the Indonesian group. METHODS: Hosts and chiggers were captured from April 2018 to March 2020 in Bali and Nusa Penida Islands in Indonesia by using standard bat-capturing and parasite-collecting methods. A list of bat-infesting chiggers in Indonesia was compiled by searching the public databases using specific keywords. RESULTS: When compared with already published data on type specimens, the physical measurements and morphology of Whartonia diosi, W. maai and Grandjeana sinensis revealed only minor differences that fell within intraspecific variability of the mentioned species. Two species (W. diosi and G. sinensis) are recorded here for the first time outside of their type localities (Panay Island in the Philippines and China) and, in both cases, represent the first records for Indonesia. The checklist summarizes all 16 species in 9 genera of bat-infesting chiggers collected from 12 bat species belonging to 5 families all collected on 8 Indonesian islands. CONCLUSION: Indonesia comprises more than 17,000 islands, is home to over 200 bat species, and harbors hundreds of still undiscovered caves. With such a huge potential for chigger diversity and endemism, it is likely that our results document only a fraction of the actual diversity.

Rudnicula goffi n. sp. (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) from the diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (Geoffroy) (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) on Bali, Indonesia.

A new species of chigger mite, Rudnicula goffi n. sp., is described from the diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (Geoffroy) (Hipposideridae) caught in the Goa Peteng Cave on Bali (Indonesia). The new species differs from the closely related species by the presence of scutum with AL windows, lateral scutal margins with cuticular striations and fSt = 2 + 2 + 2. A list of all available records of Rudnicula species is provided. The genus is restricted to the tropics of Southeast Asia, Australia, Melanesia, and the subtropics of eastern Asia. A key to the known species of Rudnicula based on the morphology of the larvae is also provided.

A new species of Chiroptella Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 (Acari: Trombiculidae) from diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (Geoffroy) (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in Bali Island (Indonesia) with distribution records, hosts, and a key to the species of the genus.

A new chigger mite Chiroptella baliensis n. sp. is described based on material from the diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (Geoffroy) (Hipposideridae) in Bali Island (Lesser Sunda Islands, East Indonesia). With this newly described species, the genus Chiroptella includes 22 species, 13 in the subgenus Chiroptella Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 (sensu stricto), and 9 in the subgenus Neosomia Vercammen-Grandjean, 1968. Species of Chiroptella are distributed throughout the Ethiopian region, the Oriental region, and the Australian region (and only marginally throughout the Palaearctic region) and are all associated with several families of bats. The paper also provides a key to all members of the genus and the new combinations for two species originally described as Chiroptella.