New species of mites found in Taiwan
1 Nov 2015 by Evoluted New Media
Gahrliepia (Gateria) lieni is one of three new species of mites found in Taiwan.
Gahrliepia (Gateria) lieni is one of three new chigger species of mites found in Taiwan. Chiggers are tiny mites that feed on skin in the larval stage. They feed by excreting a chemical that dissolves the skin into liquid form, which they then ingest. The new species, reported in the Journal of Medical Entomology, were found on shrews and rodents in rural areas where scrub typhus is prevalent.
Image credit: Entomological Society of America
