Microtrombicula fulgida (Schluger, Grochovskaja, Ngu, Hoe and Tung, 1963)

(Figs. 31A, B, 32–34)

Trombicula fulgida Schluger, Grochovskaja, Ngu, Hoe and Tung, 1963: 696, figs. 23–29.

Microtrombicula fulgida: Kudryashova 2004: 19 .

Microtrombicula (Microtrombicula) fulgida: Chau et al. 2007: 95, fig. 44.

Diagnosis. SIF = 6B-N-2-3111.1000; fsp = 7.7.7; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fPp = B/B/BbB; fSc: PL> AM> AL; Ip = 547–565; fD = 2H-7-10-5-5-4-4; DS = 31–37; V = 31–42; NDV = 67–74. Sensilla, sternal and coxal setae branched. Standard measurements of type series given in Table 10 .

Description (larva) [based on lectotype and 3 paralectotypes]. IDIOSOMA (Figs. 31A, B, 32). Eyes 2 + 2; 31–37 barbed dorsal idiosomal setae, including one pair of humeral setae; 4 sternal setae, each with 2 barbs; 31–42 ventral setae; NDV = 67–74.

GNATHOSOMA (Fig. 33A, B). Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap; gnathobase with sparse puncta and 1 pair of branched setae; cheliceral base and palpal femur with sparse puncta; galeala nude; palpal claw with 2 prongs, internal prong longer; setae on palpal femur and genu branched; dorsal and ventral palpal tibial setae branched, lateral palpal tibial seta with 1 branch; palpal tarsus with 6 branched setae and tarsala.

SCUTUM (Figs. 31A, 33C). Pentagonal, wider than long, with anterolateral shoulders, with rounded posterior margin, moderately covered with small puncta, with 1 AM, 1 pair of ALs and 1 pair of PLs; AM anterior to level of ALs; all scutal setae uniformly covered with small barbs; PLs longest and ALs shortest scutal setae; sensilla flagelliform, with 8 long branches in distal half; sensillum bases situated close to each other and far anterior to level of PLs (PSB – P-PL = 7–10 µm).

LEGS (Fig. 33D–F). All 7-segmented, with 1 pair of claws and claw-like empodium. Leg I: coxa with 1 seta bearing 3 long branches (1B); trochanter 1B; basifemur 1B; telofemur 5B; genu 4B, 3 genualae, microgenuala; tibia 8B, 2 tibialae, microtibiala; tarsus 23B, tarsala, microtarsala distal to tarsala, subterminala, parasubterminala, pretarsala. Leg II: coxa 1B (with 2 short barbs); trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 4B; genu 3B, genuala; tibia 6B, 2 tibialae; tarsus 16B, tarsala, microtarsala at level of tarsala, pretarsala. Leg III: coxa 1B (with 3 long branches); trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 3B; genu 3B, genuala; tibia 6B, tibiala; tarsus 13B, mastitarsala.

Host. Rattus tanezumi Temminck [= Rattus flavipectus (Milne-Edwards)]. The host was indicated as a “rat” on the slide labels but was identified as R. flavipectus in the thesis of Grochovskaja (unpublished typescript).

Distribution. Vietnam.

Type material examined (Fig. 34). Lectotype (here designated): larva ZMMU Tdt-3232 (specimen 5) ex R. tanezumi (labeled as “rat”) No 543, Vietnam, Nghe An Province, Phu Quy, 8 September1956, coll. I.M. Grochovskaja. Paralectotypes: three larvae, ZMMU Tdt-3229 (specimen 1), ZMMU Tdt-3231 (specimen 3), ZMMU Tdt-3280 “ Trombicula vitosa ” (specimen 5), ex R. tanezumi (labeled as “rat”) Nos 571, 568, Vietnam, Nghe An Province, Phu Quy, 10 September 1956, coll. I.M. Grochovskaja.

Remarks. Microtrombicula fulgida is similar to M. munda (Gater, 1932) and differs from it in the greater number of idiosomal setae (fD = 2H-7-10-5-5-4-4, DS = 31–36, V = 32–42, and NDV = 67–74 vs. 2H-6-6-4-4-2-2, 26, 32, and 58, respectively), all coxal and sternal setae branched vs. nude (except coxal setae I), and by longer legs (Ip = 547–565 vs. 488) (Vercammen-Grandjean 1965a).

This species is also close to M. nadchatrami Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965 and differs from it in a shorter scutum (ASB = 20–21, PSB = 19–21, SD = 39–43, and AP = 19–22, vs. 24, 25, 49, and 25, respectively), shorter setae (AM = 24–25, AL = 20–22, PL = 29–33, D min = 18–24, D max = 25–26, V min = 9–16, V max = 22–24, vs. 31, 28, 38, 27, 32, 21, and 28, respectively), shorter legs (Ip = 547–565 vs. 644), and less branched sternal and coxal setae (sternal setae with 2 vs. about 6 barbs; coxal setae I and III with 3 vs. about 6 long branches; coxal setae II with 2 vs. multiple short barbs) (Vercammen-Grandjean 1965a).