Afrotrombicula ( Afrotrombicula ) rickenbachi (Taufflieb, 1965), 2023

Afrotrombicula ( Afrotrombicula) rickenbachi (Taufflieb, 1965) , comb. nov.

( Figs. 9 View FIGURE 9 , 10 View FIGURE 10 )

Neotrombicula rickenbachi Taufflieb, 1965b: 523 View in CoL , figs. a–f; Stekolnikov 2018: 181 View Cited Treatment .

Neotrombicula ( Neotrombicula) rickenbachi: Taufflieb 1965a: 22 View in CoL ; Vercammen-Grandjean 1965: 71; Taufflieb et al. 1967: 119. Neotrombicula ( Neotrombicula) cercopitheci cercopitheci Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965: 70 ( nomen nudum), syn. nov. Neotrombicula ( Neotrombicula) chicapa Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965: 70 ( nomen nudum), syn. nov.

Afrotrombicula chicapa: Stekolnikov 2019: 32 View Cited Treatment ( nomen nudum).

Neotrombicula ( Neotrombicula) kinduensis Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965: 71 ( nomen nudum), syn. nov.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-B-3-3111.1000; fPp = B/B/NNB; PL> AM> AL; fD = 2H-6-6-4-4-(4–7)-(0–3), anterior rows also can be counted as 6-6-2-6; DS = 26–30; V = 37–45; NDV = 67–75; palpal femur with sparse puncta; scutum nearly pentagonal, with dense small puncta; posterior scutal margin prominent, arquate, sometimes slightly concave in center; f 1 distal to S 1; f 2 behind S 2; Ip = 800–917. Standard measurements are in Table 3 View TABLE 3 .

Type deposition. Holotype (58D 10) and 15 paratypes (58D 1–9, 11–16) in MNHN; five paratypes in RMCA (128386, 128387); 24 paratypes were deposited in the personal collection of Taufflieb.

Distribution and hosts. This species was described from the Central African Republic ( Bangui) ex Rattus rattus , Arvicanthis sp. ( Rodentia : Muridae ), and Crocidura olivieri occidentalis (Pucheran) (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae ). In the same year Taufflieb (1965a) reported it from Angola (Dundo) ex Heliosciurus sp. ( Rodentia : Sciuridae ), Mastomys natalensis Smith , and Praomys jacksoni (de Winton) ( Rodentia : Muridae ), and from Angola (Nhefo River) ex Funisciurus bayonii (Bocage) ( Rodentia : Sciuridae ). In the same paper, Taufflieb noted that he had many specimens belonging to this species that originated from Cameroon and Congo (Congo-Brazzaville).

Herein, this species is for the first time recorded in DR Congo ex Cercopithecus ascanius schmidti Matschie ( Primates : Cercopithecidae ), Lemniscomys striatus , Oenomys hypoxanthus (Pucheran) , Rattus rattus (syn. Rattus rattus frugivorous ) ( Rodentia : Muridae ), Lissotis melanogaster (Rüppell) ( Aves: Otidiformes ), and Gypohierax angolensis (Gmelin) ( Aves: Accipitriformes ).

Note. *—after Taufflieb (1965b); **—after Kolebinova & Vercammen-Grandjean (1981).

Type material examined. Holotype ( MNHN 58 About MNHN D 10) ex Rattus , Bangui, R.C.A.; one paratype ( MNHN 58 About MNHN D 16) with same data; two paratypes ( MRAC 128386 View Materials ) ex Rattus rattus, Rep. Centr. Afr. , Bangui, R. Taufflieb.

Additional material examined. One larva ( MHNG) labeled “ Trombicula ( Neotrombicula) cercopitheci cercopitheci ”, L:26454/8 (larva collected 26 April 1954), Pt 7 ( Paratype No. 7) ex Cercopithecus ascanius schmidti , oreilles (ears), Bunyakiri (C-B) ( DR Congo, South Kivu Prov.), P.G. Vercammen ( P.H. Vercammen-Grandjean) ; one larva ( MHNG) labeled “ Trombicula chicapa ”, L: 25754/D/6 (larva collected 25 July 1954), PT 5 ( Paratype No. 5) ex Lemniscomys striatus , oreilles (ears), Alto Chicapa ( Angola), coll. Barros Machado, det. P.G. Vercammen ( P.H. Vercammen-Grandjean); one larva ( MHNG) labeled “ Trombicula ( Neotrombicula) kinduensis ”, L: 29754/20 (larva collected 29 July 1954) ex Rattus rattus frugivorous , oreilles (ears), Coq’ville (C-B) (DR Congo, Mbandaka), coll. C. Lucasse, det. P.G. Vercammen ( P.H. Vercammen-Grandjean); two larvae ( MRAC 87939 View Materials , 87965 View Materials ) labeled “ Trombicula ( Neotrombicula) kinduensis ”, L: 28754/99 and L: 29754/47 (larvae collected 28 and 29 July 1954, respectively), other collection data as for the previous sample .

The collection of MRAC includes, in total, more than 300 specimens identified by Vercammen-Grandjean as T. ( N.) kinduensis ( nomen nudum) and collected in Kindu ( DR Congo) ex L. striatus , O. hypoxanthus , and R. rattus , and in Coq’ville ( DR Congo, Mbandaka) ex R. rattus . Four specimens (Nos. 87716–87719) were collected ex Lissotis melanogaster in Luvungi ( DR Congo) and two specimens (Nos. 87714, 87715) ex Gypohierax angolensis in Kamaniola ( DR Congo).

Seven specimens of T. ( N.) cercopitheci cercopitheci ( nomen nudum) (Nos. 88064–88070), including two nymphs reared from larvae, and one T. chicapa ( nomen nudum) (No. 113934) with the same collection data as given above are also deposited in MRAC.

Remarks. Detailed examination of the specimens supplied with the provisional names T. ( N.) cercopitheci cercopitheci ( nomen nudum), T. chicapa ( nomen nudum), and T. ( N.) kinduensis ( nomen nudum) by Vercammen-Grandjean showed that they have no differences from Afrotrombicula rickenbachi ; therefore, I regard them as synonyms of the latter.