Redescription of Apolonia tigipioensis Torres and Braga, 1938 (TROMBIDIFORMES: LEEUWENHOEKIIDAE

Authors: BASSINI-SILVA, R. - Non ARS Employee; JACINAVICIUS, F. - Non ARS Employee; WELBOURN, W. - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services; Ochoa, Ronald - Ron; BARROS-BATTESTI, D. - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)

Submitted to: REDESCRIPTION OF Apolonia tigipioensis TORRES AND BRAGA, 1938 (TROMBIDIFORMES: LEEUWENHOEKIIDAE)
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/22/2018
Publication Date: 12/22/2018
Citation: Bassini-Silva, R., Jacinavicius, F.C., Welbourn, W.C., Ochoa, R., Barros-Battesti, D.M. 2018. Redescription of Apolonia tigipioensis Torres and Braga, 1938 (TROMBIDIFORMES: LEEUWENHOEKIIDAE. REDESCRIPTION OF Apolonia tigipioensis TORRES AND BRAGA, 1938 (TROMBIDIFORMES: LEEUWENHOEKIIDAE). 26(2):197-204.

Interpretive Summary: There are hundreds species of chiggers in the world and all are parasites that feed on vertebrates including birds. This is a report from Venezuela and northeastern Brazil of a known species of chigger in the genus Apolonia. This paper is an important redescription of the type. It will help to recognize the parasite state as chiggers are associated with birds and mammals. These results are important to public health officials, animal protection officers, extension workers, agriculture scientists, entomologists and farmers.

Technical Abstract: The genus Apolonia is only known from a single species, Apolonia tigipioensis Torres and Braga, occurring in Venezuela and northeastern Brazil. The larval stage is primarily a parasite of birds, but may parasitize mammals, including humans. This species can cause nodular lesions in birds. In the present study, we are redescribing the species A. tigipioensis based on syntypes deposited at the Acari Collection of the Instituto Butantan