Neotrombicula elegans Schluger 1966

Neotrombicula elegans Schluger, 1966

Material examined. Location A: 24 larvae from Pellorneum ruficeps (Passeriformes: Pellorneidae), 1 February 2010; 1 larva from Larvivora sibilans (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae), 4 February 2010; larva from Pellorneum ruficeps; 4 February 2010; 2 larvae from Turdus dissimilis (Passeriformes: Turdidae), 4 February 2010.

Distribution and hosts. N. elegans infests small rodents Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior), Apodemus sylvaticus (Linnaeus) (Rodentia: Muridae), Myodes glareolus Schreber, and Microtus arvalis (Pallas) (Rodentia: Critedidae) in Ukraine (Kudryashova 1998). Larvae found in Slovakia were isolated from soil samples (Kalúz & Vrabec 2014). We found N. elegans in Vietnam for the first time. Pellorneum ruficeps, Larvivora sibilans and Turdus dissimilis are new hosts for this chigger.

Remarks. Chiggers of this species from Vietnam are identical with N. elegans from Ukraine and Slovakia. The measurements of individuals of N. elegans are presented here: Vietnam (this paper): AW 66–74, PW 83–91, ASB 29–34, PSB 25–34, SD 57–68, SB 29–33, AP 28–34, H 51–56, AM 45–49, AL 45–49, PL 48–52, DS 34–36, VS 30–34, NDV 66–70, S 67–77, pa 278–314, pm 249–289, pp 289–316, Ip 841–902. Ukraine (Schluger 1966, Kudryashova 1998): AW 76, PW 90, ASB 34, PSB 31, SD 65, SB 32, AP 27, H 72, AM 49–59, AL 45–55, PL 62– 72, DS 30–36, VS 36–42, NDV 73, S 85, pa 320, pm 286, pp 329, Ip 935. Slovakia (Kaluz & Vrabec 2014): AW 69–77, PW 83–91, ASB 31–36, PSB 23–29, SD 57–62, SB 31–36, AP 21–26, H 62–71, AM 55–67, AL 45–57, PL 62–69, DS 32–44, VS 30–38, NDV 64–80, S 77–101, pa 250–278, pm 232–270, pp 278–312, Ip 771–860.