Pterygosomatidae and Trombiculidae mites infesting Tropidurus hispidus (Spix, 1825) (Tropiduridae) lizards in northeastern Brazil

Parasitism of the lizard Tropidurus hispidus by Geckobiella sp. and by larvae of Eutrombicula alfreddugesi was examined in a mountainous area in Chapada do Araripe (07 degrees 16' S and 39 degrees 26' W), southern Ceara State, Brazil. Of the 56 lizards collected (26 females, 27 males, and 3 juveniles), 40 (total prevalence of 71.42%) were infested by mites. Mite-pockets were the sites most heavily infested by E. alfreddugesi larvae, while Geckobiella sp. was found uniformly distributed under scales over the host's entire body. The female specimens of T. hispidus parasitised by E. alfreddugesi had an average infestation rate of 8.57 +/- 3.62, 1-27, while the males had an average infestation rate of 11.90 +/- 2.63, 1-25. The female specimens parasitised by Geckobiella sp. had an average infestation rate of 5.91 +/- 2.28, 1-25, while the males had an average infestation rate of 5.43 +/- 1.52, 1-23. Seven specimens were also infested by eggs and immature forms of unidentified mites (average 2.28 +/- 0.89, 1-7). There were no significant differences between the total prevalence of mites on adult male (70.4%) and adult female (65.4%) lizards. The body sizes of the hosts did not influence their infestation rates. The average infestation intensity by E. alfreddugesi (10.2 +/- 8.7) was significantly greater than the average infestation intensity by Geckobiella sp. (5.9 +/- 6.8). T. hispidus is the new host record to Geckobiella mites.