| abstract | Six new chigger mite species were described from rodents of South Africa: Ascoschoengastia ueckermanni sp.nov., Schoutedenichia horaki sp.nov., Herpetacarus octosetosus sp.nov., Herpetacarus decasetosus sp.nov., Microtrombicula graphiuri sp.nov. and Trombicula walkerae sp.nov. The genus Trombicula Berlese, 1905 sensu stricto, which is known from South Asia and Australia, is recorded on the African continent for the first time. Two new species of Herpetacarus Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 present an example of closely related sympatric chigger species that occur on the same host individual. |