Vol. 93, No. 4, September & October 1982 95 RECORDS OF SOME ECTOPARASITES FROM NIGERIA 1 John O. Whitaker, Jr.,2 John G. Matthysse^ ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to present information on a series of ectoparasites, mainly mites, from Nigerian small mammals. Ectoparasites were collected from a series of mammals from Nigeria during an appointment by the junior author as Visiting Professor, University of Ibadan^. The present contribution is a continuation of a series "Preliminary Report on Mites Collected from Plants and Animals in Nigeria" (Matthysse 1978, Matthysse and Funmilayo 1979). There are relatively few data on ectoparasites of Nigerian mammals, but some of the papers most relevant to the present study are Coffee and Retief (1972); Okereke ( 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973) who studied Nigerian Gamasina and described several new species; Zumpt and Elliot (1970) who described new species of Nigerian Androlaelaps; Sakamota et al. (1979) who described new species of Haemolaelaps from Nigeria; Till (1963) who monographed Ethiopian A ndrolaelaps; Keegan (1956, 1962) who gave information on 4 species of mites first found in Nigeria; Lavoipierre ( 1 956) who described a new Steatonyssus from Nigerian bats; Fain (1970, 1971, 1972) who summarized information on African myocoptid and listrophoroid mites; and Pearse (1929) who collected information on ectoparasites of several species of Nigerian rodents and insectivores. Materials and Methods Parasites were collected from wild mammals, mainly caught in traps, in or near Ibadan from J anuary through August, 1975. They were collected by first manipulating the fur while viewing it under a dissecting microscope. Each animal was then washed in an aqueous detergent solution, after which the liquid was filtered through a Buchner funnel. Parasites were then picked off the filter paper while viewing through a dissecting microscope. The ectoparasites were preserved in 70% alcohol, cleared and stained for 5 days 1 Received February 2, 1982 ^Department of Life Sciences, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana 47809 3 108 10 E. Prince Road, Tucson, Arizona 85715 ^Funding was provided by the Ford Foundation and by a Senate Grant from the University of Ibadan. ENT. NEWS 93(4): 95-102
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