Three New Species of Chiggers Discovered in Taiwan
Posted on October 9, 2015
Scientists have discovered three new species of trombiculid mites in Taiwan. These mites are also known as chiggers. Chiggers are tiny mites that feed on skin in their larval stage. The larvae excrete a chemical that dissolves the skin into a liquid which the larvae can then ingest.
The feeding on human skin by the mites can cause skin irritation. The mites also carry pathogens that can cause scrub typhus, a disease that is endemic to Asia and northern Australia. Symptoms of scrub typhus include headaches, feer, chills and rashes.
The newly discovered chigger species live on shrews and rodents. A surprising part of the study was the discovery of chiggers in the mountains. The new species have been named Gahrliepia lieni, Gahrliepia minuta and Gahrliepia yilanensis. An image of Gahrliepia lieni is pictured above.
Hsi-Chieh Wang, an author of the study, says in a statement, "After a two-night sampling of 21 rodents in forests of a single mountainous site of 1948 meter height, we discovered two new chigger species and nine newly recorded species. Such information suggests that many more chigger species are awaiting discovery in Taiwan, particularly in mountainous regions."
The scientists say there are now 47 known chigger species in Taiwan with many more awaiting discovery. A research paper on the new chiggers was published here in the Journal of Medical Entomology.
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