Folia Parasitologica 54[3] 225-235 (2007) | DOI: 10.14411/fp.2007.031

Endoparasitic mites of the genus Endotrombicula Ewing, 1931 (Acari: Prostigmata: Parasitengona: Trombiculidae) from African and Madagascan anurans, with description of a new species

Andreas Wohltmann1, Louisdu Preez2, Mark-Oliver Rödel3, Jörn Köhler4, Miguel Vences5
1 Findorffstr. 11, D-27721 Ritterhude, Germany
2 School of Environmental Sciences and Development, Potchefstroom Campus, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
3 University of Würzburg, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
4 Department of Natural History - Zoology, Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, D-64283 Darmstadt, Germany
5 Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 8, D-38160 Braunschweig, Germany

A sample of over 6,000 specimens of frogs belonging to about 120 species of all families occurring in West Africa and Madagascar were screened for parasitic mites. Three species of Endotrombicula Ewing, 1931 were found in representatives of two African and two Madagascan frog families. All Trombiculidae found in African frogs belonged to Endotrombicula pillersi (Sambon, 1928), whereas in Madagascar E. madagascariensis (Sambon, 1928) and E. ptychadenae sp. n. were sampled. These three species are described, data about their parasitic associations are provided, and their zoogeographical distribution is discussed. Only those frog species that spend a considerable time in terrestrial ground habitats were parasitized; neither arboreal nor strictly aquatic frogs were infected. The geographic distribution of Endotrombicula, restricted to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar, suggests that these mites invaded Madagascar from the African continent. This is supported by the observation that the ancestors of Ptychadena mascareniensis (Duméril et Bibron) (Ptychadenidae), the host of E. ptychadenae, colonized Madagascar from the African continent quite recently, possibly accompanied by its Endotrombicula parasites.

Keywords: Amphibia, Anura, Mantellidae, Ptychadenidae, endoparasites, Endotrombicula ptychadenae, new species, Africa, Madagascar

Received: November 30, 2006; Accepted: February 15, 2007; Published: September 1, 2007  Show citation

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Wohltmann, A., Preez, L., Rödel, M., Köhler, J., & Vences, M. (2007). Endoparasitic mites of the genus Endotrombicula Ewing, 1931 (Acari: Prostigmata: Parasitengona: Trombiculidae) from African and Madagascan anurans, with description of a new species. Folia Parasitologica, 54(3), 225-235. doi: 10.14411/fp.2007.031
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