CfflGGERS — FARRELL 195 



Forest area and in the collections shipped in by other workers. 

 The chiggers were found crawling on the fur or imbedded in 

 craters in the skin of Blarina on the posterior portion of the 

 venter and on the rump. Other collectors usually reported the 

 same distribution on this host, Mr. Richmond reported collecting 

 them from folds in the pinna of Sorex c. cinereus. 



Unengorged, unattached E. blarinae have been collected from 

 forest soil, from forest soil surrounding a mammal runway, and 

 from materials in decayed-out root systems. This distribution is 

 consistent with its apparent host preference. 



Cultures: Five cultures containing E. blarinae were estab- 

 lished. One was started with engorged larvae, the others with 

 nymphs. In one culture nymphs were identified from their cast 

 larval skins. Sinella curviseta was established in this culture and 

 developed well. No stage of E. blarinae beyond nymph was 

 obtained. 



Life history: From collection and culture records it was 

 determined that nymphs could develop from engorged larvae in 

 16 days or less. One nymph was observed alive 48 days after its 

 culture had been established. 



Remarks: With a single exception all known collections of 

 Euschongastia blarinae have been from shrews. The single ex- 

 ception is that of the type specimen which is recorded from the 

 deer mouse, Peromysciis leucovus. This seeming anomaly in dis- 

 tribution on hosts focuses attention on the type specimen. The 

 attention becomes critical when it is considered that other species 

 of chiggers which can be confused with E. blarinae usually occur 

 on P. leucopus. Further, the hosts from which E. blarinae was 

 originally described were reported as Blarina brevicauda and 

 Peromyscus leucopus. The type host was given as Blarina brevi- 

 cauda. However, the label on the type slide (USNM 1018) bears 

 the host name Peromyscus leucopus. There is the possibility of 

 confusion in labeling. 



The one specimen, the holotype, on the type slide has been 

 carefully examined. The sensillae are missing. Various other 

 diagnostic characters are obscured. It does resemble the para- 

 types listed from shrews. It also bears a certain resemblance to 

 E. setosa, which is found on Peromyscus. At the present time it 

 cannot be positively identified. The paratypes, like the type, have 

 the sensillae missing and various other diagnostic characters are 

 obscured. Weak evidence can be obtained from the paratypes 

 indicating conspecificity with the material described here from 



