Gangolichus gen. nov. is established for 2 new species, G. prionurus (type species), from the sandgrouse Pterocles exustus Temminck, British Somaliland
and G. denticulatus from Pterocles burchelli Sclater, Botswana. The fixed digits of the chelicerae are vestigial, the first time this modification has been reported for feather mites. For this and other characters, the diagnosis of the family Cheylabididae (Pterolichoidea) is modified.