The true identity of Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans, 1910) (Acari: Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae)

Abstract

The genus Eutrombicula Ewing (Trombiculidae) currently includes more than 80 species parasitizing amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals worldwide. More than forty species have been recorded from the Americas. Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans) is the type species for the genus and has been recorded from: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, USA, and Venezuela. In the present study, we redescribed E. alfreddugesi based on examination of the types deposited at the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre (formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, RMNH), Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands. Drawings were made using a phase contrast microscopy Nikon eclipse E600 and all the figures were prepared using Inkscape and Photoshop software. After examination of the types described by Oudemans in 1910, we noticed differences between type slides and the numerous redescriptions made over the last 100+ years. While none of the characters observed will affect the diagnosis of the genus, we did find characters to reliably identify this species. However, all the records for this species from the Americas should be reviewed considering our redescription. In this study, we provided a redescription of E. alfreddugesi, as a starting point for the reorganizing of all records of this and other Eutrombicula species in the Americas.