THE GENUS OPHIOMEGISTUS BANKS (ACARI: PARAMEGISTIDAE)

Abstract

The mite parasites of the genus Ophiomegistus are restricted to snakes and lizards in Malaysia, the Philippines, New Guinea and Australia. A key to the six known species is provided. The male of O. brachymeleus Voss is described for the first time. O. keithi sp. n. is figured and described from an unidentified lizard in Papua New Guinea. The range of O. mabuyae Voss is extended from the Philippines to Malaya and intraspecific variation in the male is figured. Fresh material of O. australicus (Womersley) comb. n. from a new Queensland host, Pseudechis australis (Gray) (Elapidae), is figured. Considerable intraspecific variation is figured for a species now newly recorded from various New Guinean snakes in addition to the original Philippine record; this is O. luzonensis Banks =O. buloloensis (Gunther) syn. n.