Abstract
Galagocheles Fain, 1979 (Acari: Cheyletidae), comprising permanent parasites of African prosimian primates (Galagonidae), is revised. An amended diagnosis of the genus based on characters of adults and immatures is given. The type-species, G. lemuricola (Lawrence, 1948), from Otolemur garnetti (Ogilby) (type-host) and O. crassicaudatus Geoffroy, is redescribed, and G. lawrencei n. sp. is described from Galago senegalensis Geoffroy (type-host) and G. moholi Smith. The new species differs from G. lemuricola by its smaller body size, the obtuse posterior end of the opisthosoma in males, and by fine, nude setae ps3 in females. The systematics of the cheyletid tribe Niheliini and host-parasite associations of its species are briefly discussed. The tribe Criokerontini is included to the tribe Niheliini. It is suggested that the ancestors of the tribe Niheliini were predaceous cheyletids associated with the nests of arboreal mammals, and the association of Nihelia spp. on mongooses (Herpestidae) is the result of the host-switching from some ancient arboreal mammal.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Dr Lawrence Heaney and Mr William Stanley (FMNH) and Dr Michael Carleton and Ms Linda Gordon (USNM), who provided access to the host specimens examined in this study. We thank Prof. Alex Fain (IRSNB) and Dr Henri Andre (MRAC) for access to mite specimens. This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation DEB-0118766 (PEET) to BMOC and partly by a grant from the Belgian Federal Services for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs to SVM.
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Bochkov, A.V., Mironov, S.V. & OConnor, B.M. Revision of the genus Galagocheles Fain (Acari: Cheyletidae), parasites of galagos (Primates: Galagonidae). Syst Parasitol 63, 181–200 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-005-9008-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-005-9008-4