TAXONOMY OF CHIGGER MITES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION ON SMALL MAMMALS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Chiggers (or trombiculid mites) are important a s vectors of scrub typhus and as causative agents of dermatitis (scrub itch). The aim of th i s study is to investigate and document the chiggers4 found parasiti~ing the small mammals in Singapore. Twenty-f i ve species of chiggers in the genera Ascoschongastia. Doloisia. Gahrliepia. Wa lchiella. Leptotrombidium. Eut r ombicula. Microtrombicul~1 and Siseca were collected from a total of ninety-two animals examined. The collection incl udes species that are of public health importance i.e. Lept otrombidium deliense. the vector of scrub typhus. Eutromb icula wichmanni. Walchiella oudemansi and Si seca rara the mites that causes scrub itch. A pictorial key for the identificdtion of the spec i es collected is presented. Distribution of the chiggers in different habitats wa s investigated. Twenty-four species were collected- from the forest habitat. Nine species of host were collected Tupaia gl is. Suncus murinus. Rattus annandaleL Rattus .r. diardii. Rattus norvegicus. Maxomys surifer. Callosciurus notatus. Sundasciurus tenuis and Rhinosciurus laticaudatus. Chigger-habitat relationship. host-parasite relat i onship. colour and ecology of chiggers and the site of attachment are discussed.