New Species and Records of Scale Mites (Acariformes: Pterygosomatidae)‎ from Geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae and Caprodactylidae)‎

Abstract EN

Two new species of pterygosomatid mites parasitizing geckos of the families Gekkonidae and Caprodactylidae are described: Geckobia africana n.

sp.

from Cnemaspis africana (Werner) from Tanzania and Geckobia milii n.

sp.

from Underwoodisaurus milii (Bory De Saint-Vincent) from Australia.

The former species is the most similar to Geckobia loricata Berlese, 1892, but differs by the presence of the propodonotal shield reduced to small platelets, slender and blunt-pointed setae in the posterolateral part of the idiosomal venter and the absence of thick serrate ventral setae in posterior part of the idiosoma.

For the latter species and Geckobia simplex Hirst, 1926, a new species group is established based on the analysis of chaetotaxy of legs I–IV.

Mites of this new species group differ from the indica group by the presence of five setae on tibiae I–III and setae l’GI, l”GIV, dFI, dFII, and lFIII.

Species of the genus Geckobia are recorded from hosts of the genera Cnemaspis Strauch and Underwoodisaurus Wermuth for the first time.