CHIGGER MITES (ACARI, TROMBICULIDAE) OF LEYTE ISLAND, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF 5 NEW SPECIES AND A KEY TO THE GENERA AND SPECIES

Examination of chiggers (larval Trombiculidae) from Leyte Island, Philippine Islands that are in the collection of the B. P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu [Hawaii, USA], has added 17 species to the 1 species previously recorded. Hosts include species of Rattus, bats, other small mammals, birds, and lizards. The 18 species of Trombiculidae belong in 14 genera. Five of the species are described as new: Odontacarus dracophilis, O. mahaplagensis, Schoengastiella dentata, S. birellasetosa, and Walchiella lobiensis. Nine previously described species are now records for Leyte Island and the Philippine Islands [Ascoschoengastia krishnani Nadchatram and Domrow, Chiroptella insolli (Philip and Traub), Doloisia domrowi Audy and Nadchatram, Eutrombicula wichmanni (Philip), Leptotrombidium deliense (Walch), Neoschoengastia thomas: Radford, Siseca rara (Womersley and Audy), Toritrombicula samara Radford, Walchia fulleri Vercammen-Grandjean, Walchiella oudemansi: (Walch), W. impar (Gunther) and Whartonia maai Nadchatram and Wilson]. A key is given to the genera and species occurring on Leyte Island.