First report and a new species of larval Eutrombidium Verdun (Acari: Trombidiformes: Microtrombidiidae) from Kerala, India

ABSTRACT

A new larval species Eutrombidium keralaensis sp. nov. (Acari: Microtrombidiidae: Eutrombidiinae) parasitizing Teleogryllus sp. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae) is described and illustrated for the first time from Kerala, India. This species belongs to the species group with large and fully separate lobed lateral coxalae I, coxalae II and III.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A0B9852A-3DFB-4501-B463-F54F531DCF44

KEYWORDS:

• Prostigmata
• Eutrombidiinae
• ectoparasite
• Teleogryllus
• mite

Acknowledgements

The authors thankfully acknowledge Dr. Dhaneesh Bhaskar (Regional Vice–Chair for Asia, IUCN SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group, SIGTET- Special Interest Group Tetrigidae) for his support in identifying the host genus. The first author expresses deep gratitude to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for providing financial support in the form of Junior Research Fellowship. The study was partly supported by a project NAFASEP (04-082/23-1105/9) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovations of Montenegro.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the NAFASEP (04-082/23-1105/9) - Ministry of Education, Science and Innovations of Montenegro. University Grants Commission [191620016743].