Novos dados relativos à morfologia de Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Jordan) (Siphonaptera: Rhopalopsyllidae)

The study was carried out on the basis of 208 specimens of both sexes from a wide geographical range, from central Brazil to central Argentina. The morphology of diagnostic features of Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Jordan) including the presence or absence of the ductus of the spermatheca with a thick wall, the shape of the posterior margin of seventh sternum in females, and the size of the angle between the distal and the proximal arms of the basal part of the aedeagal tubus, and the number of convolutions made by the coil of the aedeagal tubus interior in males, have been studied. The results obtained are important in clarifying some difficulty in species recognition. Besides, the variability of some characteristics between specimens from disjoint localities in Brazil and Argentina is also noticed.O estudo baseou-se em 208 espécimes, coletados em urna ampia faixa geográfica situada entre os centros do Brasil e da Argentina. Morfológicamente, as características utilizadas para a idcntificacáo de Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Jordan) foram estudadas. tais como a presenta ou ausencia do duto da espennateca com margens espessadas e a forma da margena posterior do estemito VII, entre asfémeas, bem como o ángulo entre os bracos proximal e distal do tubo interno do aedeagus e o número de suas circunvolucocs. nos exemplares machos. Os resultados obtidos sao importantes para subsidiärem o reconhecimento da espécie. A variabilidade de algumas características entre exemplares de localidades disjuntas no Brasil e Argentina é também noticiada.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Use of Multiple Displacement Amplification as Pre-polymerase Chain Reaction (Pre-PCR) to amplify genomic DNA of siphonapterids preserved for long periods in scientific collections

The recently developed Multiple Displacement Amplification technique (MDA) allows for the production of a large quantity of high quality genomic DNA from low amounts of the original DNA. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the MDA technique to amplify genomic DNA of siphonapterids that have been stored for long periods in 70% ethanol at room temperature. We subjected each DNA sample to two different methodologies: (1) amplification of mitochondrial 16S sequences without MDA; (2) amplification of 16S after MDA. All the samples obtained from these procedures were then sequenced. Only 4 samples (15.4%) subjected to method 1 showed amplification. In contrast, the application of MDA (method 2) improved the performance substantially, with 24 samples (92.3%) showing amplification, with significant difference. Interestingly, one of the samples successfully amplified with this method was originally collected in 1909. All of the sequenced samples displayed satisfactory results in quality evaluations (Phred ≥ 20) and good similarities, as identified with the BLASTn tool. Our results demonstrate that the use of MDA may be an effective tool in molecular studies involving specimens of fleas that have traditionally been considered inadequately preserved for such purposes

Flea parasites of small mammals in the Monte Desert biome in Argentina with new host and locality records

Fleas associated with small mammals from the Argentinean Monte Desert, were examined. The research was carried out in Ñacuñán Biosphere Reserve (34°02´S, 67°58´W), in the Chaqueña Biogeographic Subregion of the Neotropical Region. Mammal species trapped were as follows: Rodentia, Muridae, Sigmodontinae: Akodon molinae Contreras, 1968 (N = 44), Graomys griseoflavus (Waterhouse, 1837) (N = 15), Calomys musculinus (Thomas, 1913) (N = 12), and Eligmodontia typus F. Cuvier, 1837 (N = 7); Didelphiomorphia, Didelphidae, Mamorsinae: Thylamys pusillus (Desmarest, 1804) (N = 1). A total of 236 fleas were collected: Stephanocircidae, Craneopsyllinae: Craneopsylla minerva wolffhuegeli (Rothschild, 1909); Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae: Polygenis (Polygenis) bohlsi bohlsi (Wagner, 1901), Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis cisandinus (Jordan, 1939) and Polygenis (Neopolygenis) puelche Del Ponte, 1963; Rhopalopsyllidae, Parapsyllinae: Ectinorus (Ectinorus) barrerai Jordan, 1939. High values of total mean abundance (MA = 2.99) and total prevalence (P = 73.41%) were obtained. A. molinae (MA = 3.14; P = 93.18; flea specific richness S = 5; Shannon specific diversity index H = 1.25) and G. griseoflavus (MA = 6.40; P = 100%; S = 5; H = 0.76) showed the highest values of the infestation parameters. No fleas were collected from E. typus, possibly because of its habits. Fleas associated with T. pusillus are reported for the first time. Our collections extend the western limits of the distribution of both P. (N.) puelche and P. (P.) b. bohlsi. In addition, new host species are reported for every flea species and subspecies, and seven host-flea associations are mentioned for the first time.Fil: Lareschi, Marcela. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Ojeda, Ricardo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Linardi, Pedro M.. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimiento Científico e Tecnológico; Brasi

A new species of Tunga perforating the osteoderms of its armadillo host in Argentina and redescription of the male of Tunga terasma

A new species of Tunga (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) collected from armadillos in Argentina is described. The new species is characterized by large and pigmented eyes, the presence of two bristles on antennal segment II, two bristles at the base of the maxilla, and a discoid neosome compressed anteroposteriorly. The gravid female is located in the carapace of the host, perforating the osteoderms. The new species resembles Tunga penetrans and Tunga terasma in general appearance. However, it differs by the greater anteroposterior compression of the neosome, a more angular head, and a manubrium with a pointed proximal end and convex ventral margin (the proximal end of the manubrium is rounded or slightly pointed in T. terasma, and the ventral margin is straight in both T. penetrans and T. terasma). In addition, specimens of T. penetrans have more bristles in antennal segments II and III, and lack bristles in the posterior tibia. This is the first report of a species of Tunga perforating the osteoderms of its host and thereby showing a high degree of specialization. Tunga terasma is recorded for the first time in Argentina; the male is described again and the characteristics of the species amended. This information may be useful in epidemiological studies of diseases caused by species of Tunga.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Novos dados relativos à morfologia de Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Jordan) (Siphonaptera: Rhopalopsyllidae)

The study was carried out on the basis of 208 specimens of both sexes from a wide geographical range, from central Brazil to central Argentina. The morphology of diagnostic features of Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Jordan) including the presence or absence of the ductus of the spermatheca with a thick wall, the shape of the posterior margin of seventh sternum in females, and the size of the angle between the distal and the proximal arms of the basal part of the aedeagal tubus, and the number of convolutions made by the coil of the aedeagal tubus interior in males, have been studied. The results obtained are important in clarifying some difficulty in species recognition. Besides, the variability of some characteristics between specimens from disjoint localities in Brazil and Argentina is also noticed.O estudo baseou-se em 208 espécimes, coletados em urna ampia faixa geográfica situada entre os centros do Brasil e da Argentina. Morfológicamente, as características utilizadas para a idcntificacáo de Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Jordan) foram estudadas. tais como a presenta ou ausencia do duto da espennateca com margens espessadas e a forma da margena posterior do estemito VII, entre asfémeas, bem como o ángulo entre os bracos proximal e distal do tubo interno do aedeagus e o número de suas circunvolucocs. nos exemplares machos. Os resultados obtidos sao importantes para subsidiärem o reconhecimento da espécie. A variabilidade de algumas características entre exemplares de localidades disjuntas no Brasil e Argentina é também noticiada.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Siphonaptera: Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae), um Novo Registro no Brasil

Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis s. l. (Jordan & Rothschild) is recorded for the first time from Brazil in the municipalities of Capão da Canoa, Tramandaí and Osório, RS. New host records for this flea include Ctenomys flamarioni (Travi) and Ctenomys minutus (De Blainville). Morphological variations were also observed among the flea specimens collected on the same species of host at the same municipality, evidencing some hybridization between the two subspecies and disabling the determination of the subspecific status. The number of known species of Brazilian Siphonaptera is now 60.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Siphonaptera: Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae), um Novo Registro no Brasil

Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis s. l. (Jordan & Rothschild) is recorded for the first time from Brazil in the municipalities of Capão da Canoa, Tramandaí and Osório, RS. New host records for this flea include Ctenomys flamarioni (Travi) and Ctenomys minutus (De Blainville). Morphological variations were also observed among the flea specimens collected on the same species of host at the same municipality, evidencing some hybridization between the two subspecies and disabling the determination of the subspecific status. The number of known species of Brazilian Siphonaptera is now 60.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore