Cloacaridae, A New Family of Cheyletoid Mites from the Cloaca of Aquatic Turtles (Acari : Acariformes : Eleutherengona)1

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Abstract
A new family (Cloacaridae), a new genus (Cloacarus) and two new species (C. faini and C. beeri) of parasitic cheyletoid mites are described from the cloaca of two species of North American aquatic turtles, Chelydra serpentina and Chrysemys picta. Because of the extreme morphological modification of these mites, especially of their legs, it is postulated that they are probably venereally transmitted from host to host and are highly host-specific. Several alternative hypotheses are offered concerning the probable life histories of the mites and the possible correlation of these with the mating cycles of their hosts.

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