Comparison of Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae, Leeuwenhoekiidae) on Two Sibling Mouse Species, <i>Apodemus draco</i> and <i>A. ilex</i> (Rodentia: Muridae), in Southwest China

Abstract

Chigger mites (Acari) are common ectoparasites on rodents, and they are the exclusive vector of scrub typhus. South China field mouse (Apodemus draco) and Lantsang field mouse (A. ilex) are two sibling rodent species. Based on field investigations in southwest China (2001–2015), this paper compared the infestation of these two mouse species with chiggers. Of 42 chigger species identified from two mouse species, 36 were found on A. draco, 11 on A. ilex and 5 common species on both mice. Jaccard similarity index (J = 0.12, J A. draco (MI = 4.26) was higher than that on A. ilex (MI = 3.91, p A. draco were Trombiculindus yunnanus, Leptotrombidium scutellare (a major vector species in China) and L. sinicum with a total constituent ratio Cr = 42.9% (106/247). Leptorombidium sinicum and L. scutellare independently occurred on A. draco with an association coefficient V = 0.09 (V ≈ 0). The dominant chigger species on A. ilex were L. rusticum, L. densipunctatum and L. gongshanense, with a total Cr = 58.14% (25/43). Leptorombidium rusticum and L. densipunctatum on A. ilex had a slight positive association (V = 0.49, 0.5 V A. draco was revealed as a log-normal distribution pattern.

Keywords

• chigger mites
• ectoparasite
• South China field mouse
• Lantsang field mouse
• rodent
• southwest China