A meta-analysis of host specificity in Neotropical hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae)

Host specificity of Neotropical hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) was analyzed by using the number of hosts species for each tick species and the index of host specificity STD*, which integrates phylogenetic and ecological information. The analyses were based on 4172 records of hard ticks collected from wild and domestic tetrapods. Most tick species included in this study were associated with three to 20 host species. No tick species has been associated either with a single species or with a single genus of host. It was found that the number of host species is sensitive to sampling effort, but not the STD*. The most frequent values of STD* were between 2.5 and 3.5, which shows that the host species more frequently used by Neotropical hard tick species belong to different families or different orders. Immature stages tend to use a broader taxonomic range of hosts than adults, and the interpretation of both measures of host specificity used in this study led to the conclusion that the impact of non-endemic hosts does not alter the patterns of host specificity in Neotropical hard ticks. The index STD* showed that a high proportion of tick species has phylogenetically unrelated species as principal hosts. The conclusion reached in this work indicates that strict host specificity is not common among Neotropical hard ticks and suggests that the influence of tick ecology and evolution of habitat specificity, tick generation time, phenology, time spent off the host and the type of life-cycle could be more important than hosts species.Fil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe; Argentin

Ornithodoros quilinensis sp. nov. (Acari, Argasidae), a new tick species from the Chacoan region in Argentina

Ornithodoros quilinensis sp. nov. (Acari: Argasidae) is described from larvae collected on the small rodents Graomys centralis (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) in Argentina. The diagnostic characters for this new species are a combination of small size (520-540 μm), a dorsal plate oval in shape with a length of approximately 200 μm, 14 pairs of dorsal setae, hypostome short and narrower at the base (length from Ph1 to apex 133 μm (120-141)) with dental formula 2/2 and apex blunt, and the capsule of the Haller's organ irregular in shape and without reticulations. The analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences available for the genus Ornithodoros indicate that, phylogenetically, O. quilinensis represents an independent lineage only related to a Bolivian tick species of the genus Ornithodoros yet not formally described.Fil: Venzal, José M.. Universidad de la Republica, Salto; UruguayFil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Eea, Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Mangold, Atilio Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Eea, Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Mastropaolo, Mariano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Eea, Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Casás, Gustavo. UNIVERSIDAD DE LA REPUBLICA (UDELAR); . Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Eea, Rafaela; Argentin

Ticks of new world tapirs

In this paper, we present an updated list of ticks that have been found infesting New World tapirs. For this purpose, literature records were obtained from the INTA tick database. Data are presented according to tick species, tapir species, and country. A total of 27 tick species have been reported infesting New World tapirs. Most of the reports were on T. terrestris (20 tick species in 10 countries). Thirteen tick species were reported on T. bairdii in 3 countries, and only 2 tick species on T. pinchaque in 2 countries. Ticks reported on tapirs comprised 18 species of the genus Amblyomma, and 7 other species representing the genera Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, and Rhipicephalus from the Ixodidae family, and at least 2 Ornithodoros species from the Argasidae family. Indeed, tapirs are very significant hosts for the Neotropical tick fauna. Since tapirs are usually found in less fragmented biomes with high biodiversity, and the richness of tick species is higher in tapirs than any other Neotropical vertebrate species, further studies are needed to evaluate the role of tapir-associated ticks on biodiversity. The role of these ticks on tick-borne diseases for tapir and other vertebrates also needs further investigations

Reinstatement of rhipicephalus (Boophilus) australis (Acari: Ixodidae) with redescription of the adult and larval stages

Rhipicephalus australis Fuller, the Australian cattle tick, is reinstated and the adults and larvae redescribed from material collected in Australia. This long ignored boophilid was previously known as R. microplus Canestrini for specimens reported in Australia and New Caledonia. The adults of R. australis are easily recognized by a combination of characters, such as the ventro-medial spurs in the palpal segments of the male, and the abundant, plumose, pale white setae on the dorsum of the female. Other details, such as coxal and adanal shields are more variable among different populations and may lead to incorrect determinations. Larvae of R. australis are clearly smaller than those of R. microplus. The use of principal components analysis on body measurements leads to a clear separation of larvae of both taxa. A phylogenetic analysis based on 12S- and 16S-rDNA gene sequences supports the conspecificity of the neotype material on which the reinstatement of the species is proposed, and of the specimens used for previous interspecific crosses. R. australis is now known to be present in Australia, New Caledonia, the island of Borneo, Philippines, Sumatra, Java, New Guinea, Cambodia, and Tahiti. Both R. microplus and R. australis coexist in some countries in southeastern Asia. Given the extreme importance of these ticks for the cattle industry, field data on their distribution in the region are required to know the actual range of these species and to understand the evolution of the group.Fil: Estrada Peña, Agustín. Universidad de Zaragoza; EspañaFil: Venzal, José M.. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Nava, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Mangold, Atilio Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Labruna, Marcelo B.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: de la Fuente, José. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos; Españ

Soil macrofauna in natural ecosystems and agroecosystems of the ibera wetlands ecoregion (Corrientes, Argentina)

Se analizó la macrofauna del suelo de cuatro ambientes naturales y agroecosistemas localizados en zonas altas de la eco-región Esteros del Iberá (Corrientes, Argentina) con distintos grados de perturbación, a fin de contribuir a evaluar el impacto de las actividades productivas en este humedal. Se determinó la diversidad, abundancia, densidad y biomasa de los principales grupos y se compararon las comunidades analizadas. Se aplicó el protocolo de Conservación y Manejo Sustentable de la Biodiversidad del Suelo modificado, en cuatro puntos en cada sitio. Se analizó la influencia de distintos factores de perturbación sobre la biota. La macrofauna del suelo estuvo integrada por 19 órdenes de invertebrados, principalmente oligoquetos terrestres y artrópodos, entre los cuales las termitas, hormigas y coleópteros fueron los más abundantes. Las diferencias entre los ensambles analizados se evidenciaron en su composición taxonómica, diversidad, número de órdenes y densidad de los grupos más abundantes, pero ellas no fueron estadísticamente significativas para esta última característica. La mayoría de los individuos se detectaron en el estrato superficial del suelo (0-10 cm) y la biomasa fue más elevada en los pastizales aunque los órdenes de mayor biomasa relativa fueron distintos en cada sitio. Las similitudes entre ambientes agruparon por un lado al cultivo de algodón y al pastizal forestado, y por otro al bosque y al pastizal sometido a pastoreo. Dos de las perturbaciones ambientales analizadas (reemplazo de la vegetación natural y remoción del suelo) influyeron sobre las comunidades macroedáficas. Las hormigas y lombrices resultaron posibles invertebrados bioindicadores en estas comunidades, en tanto que las termitas subterráneas resultaron importantes por su diversidad y biomasa, principalmente en los dos ambientes con mayor grado de perturbación.Soil macrofauna from four natural and agricultural ecosystems with different disturbance degrees, located at the Esteros del Ibera ecoregion (Corrientes, Argentina) was analyzed in order to assess the impact of productive activities in this wetland. The diversity, abundance, density and biomass of the main invertebrate groups were determined and the analyzed communities were compared. The modified Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below Ground Biodiversity protocol was applied at four points on each site. The influence of different perturbation factors on the biota was analyzed. Soil macrofauna was composed by 19 invertebrate orders, mainly earthworms and arthropods (termites, ants and beetles were the most abundant). The differences between the analyzed assemblages were referred to taxonomic composition, diversity, order number and density, but they were not statistically significant for the last feature. Most individuals were detected in surface soil layer (0-10 cm) and biomass was higher on pastures although the orders of higher relative biomass were different at each site. On the bases of the similarities in the macrofaunal communities, the analyzed ecosystems formed two groups: cotton crop -forested pasture and natural forest- grazed pasture. Two of the analyzed perturbations (replacement of natural vegetation and soil removal) influenced the soil macrofauna. Ants and worms were identified as potential bioindicators in these assemblages, while subterranean termites were well represented, mainly in the more disturbed sites.Fil: Gomez Pamies, Diego Fernando. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; ArgentinaFil: Godoy Guglielmone, María Celina. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Coronel, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura; Argentin

Ticks (ixodida) and mites (mesostigmata) parasites of sigmodontine rodents in the Delta of Paraná river, Argentina.

Se determinaron las especies de garrapatas y ácaros mesostigmata parásitos de roedores sigmodontinos en una localidad del Delta del Paraná. Fueron registradas 38 asociaciones parásito-hospedador entre dos especies de garrapatas y cinco especies de ácaros con seis especies de roedores, que mostraron una distribución agregada de sus parásitos. Dos de las asociaciones (Holochilus brasiliensis-Amblyomma triste y H. brasiliensis-Ixodes loricatus) son nóveles, siendo la asociación H. brasiliensis-Am. triste de importancia sanitaria ya que esta garrapata es vector de Rickettsia parkeri, patógeno que afecta a los humanos. La mayoría de las asociaciones se detectaron previamente sólo en la eco-región correspondiente a la localidad de estudio. Por el contrario, unas pocas asociaciones ya registraban antecedentes para otras regiones argentinas, el Brasil, Paraguay o el Uruguay.The species of ticks (Ixodida) and mites (Mesostigmata) parasites of sigmodontine rodents were determined in a locality of the Paraná River Delta. A total of 38 host-parasite associations between two species of ticks and five species of mites were found from six species of rodents. Aggregated distributions of parasites on hosts characterized those associations. Two associations (Holochilus brasiliensis-Amblyomma triste y H. brasiliensis-Ixodes loricatus) were not registered before, and the H. brasiliensis-Am.triste association is of sanitary importance because this tick is a vector of rickettsiosis to humans. The majority of the associations were previously found only in the ecoregion where the study site is located. In contrast a few of the associations reported have antecedents in other regions of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay or Uruguay.Fil: Colombo, Valeria Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Lareschi, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (i); ArgentinaFil: Monje, Lucas Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Antoniazzi, Leandro Raúl. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Beldomenico, Pablo Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentin

Presencia de dos especies de garrapatas (Acari: Ixodidae) con importancia médica en la ciudad de Buenos Aires

SINFil: Cicuttin, Gabriel L.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur; Argentina;Fil: Sassaroli, Juan C.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur; Argentina;Fil: Ardiles, María I.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur; Argentina;Fil: Zotter, Ana C.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur; Argentina;Fil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Reguional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Regional Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina;Fil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria, Rafaela; Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) (Acari: Ixodidae), the Cayenne tick: phylogeography and evidence for allopatric speciation

Background: Amblyomma cajennense F. is one of the best known and studied ticks in the New World because of its very wide distribution, its economical importance as pest of domestic ungulates, and its association with a variety of animal and human pathogens. Recent observations, however, have challenged the taxonomic status of this tick and indicated that intraspecific cryptic speciation might be occurring. In the present study, we investigate the evolutionary and demographic history of this tick and examine its genetic structure based on the analyses of three mitochondrial (12SrDNA, d-loop, and COII) and one nuclear (ITS2) genes. Because A. cajennense is characterized by a typical trans-Amazonian distribution, lineage divergence dating is also performed to establish whether genetic diversity can be linked to dated vicariant events which shaped the topology of the Neotropics. Results: Total evidence analyses of the concatenated mtDNA and nuclear + mtDNA datasets resulted in well-resolved and fully congruent reconstructions of the relationships within A. cajennense. The phylogenetic analyses consistently found A. cajennense to be monophyletic and to be separated into six genetic units defined by mutually exclusive haplotype compositions and habitat associations. Also, genetic divergence values showed that these lineages are as distinct from each other as recognized separate species of the same genus. The six clades are deeply split and node dating indicates that they started diverging in the middle-late Miocene. Conclusions: Behavioral differences and the results of laboratory cross-breeding experiments had already indicated that A. cajennense might be a complex of distinct taxonomic units. The combined and congruent mitochondrial and nuclear genetic evidence from this study reveals that A. cajennense is an assembly of six distinct species which have evolved separately from each other since at least 13.2 million years ago (Mya) in the earliest and 3.3 Mya in the latest lineages. The temporal and spatial diversification modes of the six lineages overlap the phylogeographical history of other organisms with similar extant trans-Amazonian distributions and are consistent with the present prevailing hypothesis that Neotropical diversity often finds its origins in the Miocene, after the Andean uplift changed the topology and consequently the climate and ecology of the Neotropics.Fil: Beati, Lorenza. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria, Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Burkman, Erica J.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Barros Battesti, Darcy M.. Governo Do Estado de Sao Paulo. Secretaria Da Saude. Instituto Butantan; Brasil;Fil: Labruna, Marcelo B.. Universidade do Sao Paulo; Brasil;Fil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria, Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Cáceres, Abraham G.. Instituto Nacional de Salud; PerúFil: Guzman Cornejo, Carmen. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México;Fil: Léon, Renato. Universidad San Francisco de Quito; Ecuador;Fil: Durden, Lance A.. Georgia State University; Estados UnidosFil: Faccini, João L.H.. Universidade Federal Rural Do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi