Neotrombicula autumnalis ( Shaw, 1790 )

Stekolnikov, Alexandr & Daniel, Milan, 2012, 3216, Zootaxa 3216, pp. 1-104 : 42-43

? Neotrombicula autumnalis ( Shaw, 1790)

( Fig. 27)

Acarus autumnalis Shaw, 1790 : Pl. 42 + text.

Microtrombidium autumnalis, Hirst 1915: 73 , figs. 1–2.

Trombicula (Neotrombicula) autumnalis, Hirst 1925: 609 ; Fuller 1952: 56.

Trombicula autumnalis, Richards 1950: 116 , tab. 6.

Neotrombicula autumnalis, Kudryashova 1979: 49 ; 1993c: 216, fig. 1; Stekolnikov 1997a: 399, fig. 1; 1997b: 530; Fernandes & Kulkarni 2003: 267, fig. 86.

Neotrombicula (Neotrombicula) autumnalis, Kepka 1964a: 569 , fig. 1; 1964b: 123, figs. 2–9; Kolebinova 1992: 77, fig. 38; Kudryashova 1998: 176, fig. 135.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N-3-3111.1000; fPp = B/B/NN(B)B; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fSc: PL> AM> AL; Ip = 733–886; fD = 2H-6-6-6-4-4(6)-2; DS = 26–33; VS = 19–33; NDV = 52–63. Standard measurements of specimens from the comparative material ( Russia: Adygea) are given in Table 12.

Type material (not examined). This species was described in 18 th century from Great Britain; type material was lost. Neotype was designated by Richards (1950) from the collections made in England (West Berkshire, near Streatley); it is deposited in NHM. Richards (1950), followed by Fernandes and Kulkarni (2003), erroneously referred to this specimen as “ lectotype ”.

Comparative material examined. 24 larvae (ZISP and ZMMU) ex Apodemus uralensis (Pallas) , RUSSIA: Adygea, Guzeripl’ (43° 59' 19" N, 40° 08' 11" E), 670 m a.s.l., 12–13 July 1991, coll. AAS .

Hosts. This human-infesting species (in larval stage known as “harvest bug”) was recorded on almost all mammals that occur within its range, and also on many bird and some reptile species ( Kudryashova 1979), but many of these records may be misidentifications.

Distribution. Europe, including British Isles, excluding Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Northern Russia;? Turkey, Turkmenistan. Previous records in Turkey: KemalpaŞa, Bornova, Kavaklidere, Meryemana, Ulubey, Abant Lake, Şile, Erciyes Mt. ( Kepka 1966), Bebek ( Kepka 1962).

Remarks. The specimens, measurements of which were given by Kepka (1966), probably belong to Neotrombicula delijani and N. turkestanica (see below). Other record of N. autumnalis from Turkey ( Cakiroglu et al. 2008) was not supplied with taxonomic evidence at all; that material may belong to any chigger genus and species. Thus, at present there is not enough evidence to confirm the occurrence of N. autumnalis in Turkey. In general, presence of this species in Asia may be questioned. Many of its old records outside Europe were already referred to other species ( Kudryashova 1993c); modern record from India ( Fernandes & Kulkarni 2003) should also be revised.