THE GENERIC NAME TROMBICULOIDES 
JACOT, 1938 1 
By G. W. Wharton 
Department of Zoology, Duke University 
Jacot (1938) obtained some specimens of mites and 
identified them as Trombidium scabrum Say, 1821. How- 
ever, be realized that liis specimens were not representa- 
tive of tbe genus Trombidium. Therefore tbe new ge- 
neric name T rombiculoides was proposed, witb Trombid- 
ium scabrum designated as type. His generic diagnosis 
was based however, on bis specimens and not on Say’s 
description. Say’s description was disregarded when- 
ever a discrepency arose between tbe specimens and tbe 
description. 
Ewing 1946 reported that Jacot bad misidentified bis 
specimens and that Trombidium scabrum was in reality a 
species of Sericothrombium. Ewing therefore consid- 
ered T rombiculoides a synonym of Sericothrombium 
Berlese, 1910. Furthermore be points out that Howard 
(1918) bad given an excellent account of tbe species in- 
cluding figures of both larval and adult stages. It is 
obvious from tbe descriptions of Howard and Jacot that 
they are not dealing witb the same or even closely related 
species. On tbe other band it is also obvious that Say’s 
description is so incomplete that bis name T. scabrum 
might apply to any one of several species in different 
families, or might refer to a concept that includes a com- 
plex of several species. 
Jacot ’s specimens were borrowed from tbe Museum of 
Comparative Zoology through the courtesy of Dr. Be- 
quaert. A study of the specimens showed that they were 
compared witb specimens of Eutrombicula alfreddugesi 
Oudemans, 1910 from cultures, and no significant differ- 
ences between tbe two could be noted. It is impossible to 
identify Jacot ’s specimens as Eutrombicida alfreddugesi 
at tbe present time, however, because this species can be 
1 This paper is a report on work done in connection with a Grant-in-Aid 
from the Research Grants Division of the U. S. Public Health Service. 
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