Trombicula alfreddugesi
 | This taxon may be invalid (unresolved name. May be in Eutrombicula). |
| Trombicula alfreddugesi | |
|---|---|
| |
| Larval harvest mite from North America | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Trombidiformes |
| Family: | Trombiculidae |
| Genus: | Trombicula |
| Species: | T. alfreddugesi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Trombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans)
| |
Trombicula alfreddugesi, also called Eutrombicula alfreddugesi, is a species in the genus Trombicula. (Eutrombicula is a subgenus of mites in Trombicula of the family Trombiculidae.[1])
It is the common chigger species of the United States, also sometimes called the harvest mite. Chiggers are the parasitic larval stages of these free-living mites.[2] They are rarely seen in the dry Western states because the species prefers humid climates.[3] They are commonly found in undergrowth and grassy brush areas; the larvae host on animals (e.g. reptiles, birds, and wild and domestic mammals), causing welts that can turn into dermatitis.
References[edit]
- ^ "Eutrombicula", Medical Dictionary, Free Dictionary.com.
- ^ "The chigger Eutrombicula (Trombicula) alfreddugesi isn't picky", Daily Parasite blog, 28 May 2010.
- ^ "Eutrombicula alfreddugesi", Encyclopædia Britannica online, retrieved 10 August 2011: "occurs from the Atlantic coast to the Midwest and southward to Mexico".