Abstract: AIM: To illustrate the similarity, transitional tendency and classification of gamasid mite communities on nine dominant species of small mammals in the west of Yunnan Province. METHOD: Fuzzy clustering analysis. RESULTS: The similarity among the gamasid mite communities on Rattus flavipectus, Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus was prominent. These gamasid mite communities tended to be the type of house rats. The gemasid mite communities on Muscaroli, Apodemus chevrieri and Eothenomys miletus were proved to be the type of field rats. The gamasid mite communities on Rattus nitidus, Crocidura attenuata and Suncus murinus were the type of transitionals, being intermediate between the types of house rats and field rats in the fuzzy clustering phenogram. The whole fuzzy clustering process showed a tendency from the type of house rats to the type of field rats. CONCLUSION: The types of gamasid mite communities mainly depend upon the habitat preference of the corresponding hosts, smallmammals. Under the similar habitat circumstances, the closer the hosts in taxonomy are, the more similar the gamasid mite communities on them will be.

Key words: Acari gamasid mite, community, similarity, fuzzy cluster, small mammal, Yunnan