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

Botelho, José R.

Cardoso, Valbérico de A.

de Freitas, Thales O.

Lareschi, Marcela

Linardi, Pedro M.

Neotropical Entomology

English

El Servicio de Difusión de la Creación Intelectual

September-October 2005 837
PUBLIC HEALTH
Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Siphonaptera: 
Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae), a New Record in Brazil
Pedro M. Linardi12, Valbérico de A. Cardoso1’2, José R. Botelho1, Marcela Laresciii24 and Thales 
O. de Freitas2’5
¡Depto. Parasitología ICB/UFMG - Univ. Federal de Minas Gerais, Jv. Antonio Carlos, 6627, C. postal 486 
30.161-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, Unardi'ajcb.ufnig.br
2Research fellows CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brazil 
3CEPAVE - Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Calle 2, n. 584, 1900, La Plata, Argentina 
4CON1CET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas v Técnicas, Argentina
5Depto. Genética UFRS - Univ. Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Jv. Bento Goncalves, 9500, C. postal 15053, 91.501- 
970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Neotropical Entomology 34(5):837-841 (2005)
Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Siphonaptera: Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae), 
um Novo Registro no Brasil
RESUMO - Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis s. I. (Jordan & Rothschild) foi assinalada pela primeira 
vez no Brasil nos municipios de Capao da Canoa. Tramandai e Osorio. RS. Novos registros de 
hospedeiros sao dados para a espécie. com a inclusáo de Ctenomvs fiamarioni (Travi) e Ctenomvs 
minutus (De Blainville). Variacócs morfológicas foram também observadas entre os espécimes 
coletados sobre mesma espécie de hospedeiro e em mesma localidade. evidenciando alguma 
hibridizacao entre as duas subspécies e impossibilitando a dctcrminacao do status subespecífico. O 
número de espécies de pulgas conhecidas para o Brasil é aumentado para 60.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Pulga, ectoparasito. taxonomía, distribuicao geográfica
ABSTRACT - Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis s. I. (Jordan & Rothschild) is recorded for the first 
time from Brazil in the municipalities of Capáo da Canoa. Tramandai and Osorio. RS. New host 
records for this flea include Ctenomvs fiamarioni (Travi) and Ctenomvs 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.
KEY WORDS: Flea, ectoparasite, taxonomy, geographical distribution
Among the genera of Siphonaptera included into the 
family Rhopalopsyllidae, Polygenis Jordan is the largest 
and most widely distributed, parasitizing a broad range of 
rodents (Linardi & Guimaraes 1993). Currently, the genus 
includes two subgenera: Neopolygenis Linardi & 
Guimaraes, restricted to Neotropical Region and comprising 
eight species, and Polygenis. whose 35 species and 
subspecies are spread from southern South America through 
Central America and Mexico, with only three species in 
the southern United States. Some members of the subgenus 
Polygenis are implicated in the maintenance of sylvatic 
plague among rodents (Holdenried 1952, Pollitzer 1954, 
Karimi et al. 1974) and some species to act as parasite 
vectors for allantonematids (Linardi et al. 1981), 
hymenolepedes and trypanosomatids (Botelho & Linardi 
1992).
Jordan & Rothschild (1908) described P. platensis from 
a single female collected on Ctenomvs sp. from La Plata. 
Buenos Aires Province. Argentina. The male was further 
described from a long series collected on different hosts, 
mainly Ctenomvs taiarum Thomas from several localities 
in Buenos Aires Province. Argentina and Montevideo. 
Uruguay (Jordan & Rothschild 1923). Later, based on 
morphological differences in the number of bristles between 
specimens collected from localities in Buenos Aires Province 
and those from the foothills of the Andes in Mendoza and 
La Pampa Provinces. Argentina. Jordan (1939) divided the 
species into two subspecies. Polygenis platensis platensis 
838 Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Siphonaptera:... Linardi et al.
and Polygenisplatensis cisandinus to include representatives 
from eastern and western areas of Argentina, respectively. 
Del Ponte (1963) recognized the two subspecies in several 
Argentinean localities, although pointing out morphological 
variations in relation to the number of setae on the basal 
abdominal sternum and shape of spermathecae. 
Subsequently, they were recognized by Smit (1987) as 
Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis platensis and Polygenis 
(Polygenis) platensis cisandinus and the subgeneric status 
confirmed by phenetic and cladistic methods (Linardi & 
Guimaraes 1993). Up to now. both subspecies have been 
recorded from Argentina and Chile, with P. p. platensis also 
occurring in Uruguay and P. platensis cisandinus in Bolivia. 
The latter subspecies has the broadest distribution in 
Argentina, since it has been recorded in 10 provinces and 
P. p. platensis only in three provinces (Smit 1987, Autino 
& Lareschi 1998).
Concerning Brazilian fleas, although the world fauna 
Siphonaptera comprises 240 genera and approximately 
3,000 species (Lewis 1998), only 20 genera and 59 species 
and subspecies have been recorded in Brazil, in spite of 
several biomes, centers of origin or dispersal and iimnense 
diversity of mammalian species. Approximately 29% of the 
Brazilian fleas are endemic, with 34 species and subspecies 
(58%) included in the family Rhopalopsyllidae (19 
Polygenis) (Linardi & Guimaraes 2000). Approximately 200 
mammal species are known to harbour fleas in Brazil. 
Although the Pampa grassland biome, extending from 
Southern Brazil to Uruguay and Argentina (Hershkovitz 
1969) includes the localities studied, only eight species of 
fleas have been recorded in Rio Grande do Sul State, with 
no occurrence for Polygenis species. Since P. platensis is a 
vector of human disease and has never been recorded in 
Brazil, the current study adds new information on 
geographical distribution, host records and morphological 
variation of this species.
Materials and Methods
Fleas were recovered from Ctenomvs flamarioni (Travi) 
and Ctenomvs minutus (De Blainville) trapped in the 
municipalities of Capao da Canoa. Tramandai and Osorio. 
State of Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil, between November 1985 
and July 2000. After preservation in 70% ethanol, the fleas 
were mounted in Canada balsam for taxonomic identification 
and morphological studies. Smit‘s (1987) morphological 
terminology is followed. Representative specimens have been 
deposited in the Department of Parasitology. Federal 
University of Minas Gerais. Skins and skulls of tuco-tucos 
are in the Department of Genetics. Federal University of 
Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil. Illustrations of the spermathecae 
of four females and one male (sternum IX, basimere. 
telomere, and aedeagus) were prepared with the aid of a 
camera lucida.
Results
In females of P platensis. the nmnber of lateral setae 
observed on each side of abdominal sterna II-VII are 
indicated in Table 1 and the spermathecae of specimens from 
different localities are shown in Figs. 1-4. Modified segments 
of a male collected on C. flamarioni from Tramandai are 
seen in Figs. 5-7.
The occurrence of P. platensis in three municipalities of 
the State of Rio Grande do Sul. located at the Pampa 
grassland, the number of known species of Brazilian 
Siphonaptera is 60. The nmnber of valid species, documented 
in Central and South America are presented in Table 2 
[Argentina: Autino & Lareschi (1998), Chile: Hastriter 
(2001), Colombia: Méndez (1977), French Guiana: 
Beaucournu et al. (1998), México: Morales-Muciño & 
Llórente-Bousquets (1986), Panama: Tipton & Méndez 
(1966), Peru: Hastriter et al. (2002), Venezuela: Tipton & 
Machado-Allison (1972)]. The data were complemented 
according to Johnson (1957), Hopkins & Rothschild (1962, 
1966) and Smit (1987) for other South American countries.
Discussion
With the exception of the abdominal sterna IV-VI, the 
number of setae observed on other sterna was markedly 
variable in female specimens (Table 1). ranging from 15 to 
30 (sternum II), 4 to 12 (stemmn III) and 12 to 20 (sternum 
VII). When describing P. cisandinus. Jordan (1939) pointed 
out “a western modification of R. platensis Jord. & Rohs. 
1908, distinguished by the reduction in the number of bristles 
on the thorax, abdomen and legs”. The number of setae 
found on the sterna II and VII has been the most important 
criteria to separate subspecies. The number of these setae 
presented by Jordan & Rothschild (1923) and Jordan (1939) 
for female specimens were respectively: basal sternum: 20 
or more in P. p. platensis and 17 to 24 in P. p. cisandinus'.
Table 1. Number of setae on sterna II-VII of female specimens of Polygenis (P.) platensis from the State of Rio Grande 
do Sul. Brazil.
Number and origin of specimen
Abdominal sterna
II III IV V VI VII
CF 049-1: Tramandai RS 18/16 4/7 9/6 5/5 7/7 19/18
CF 049-2: Tramandai RS 27/19 12/9 6/6 5/6 8/7 20/18
V 26: Osorio RS 30/23 5/5 7/7 7/7 8/8 15/16
V 225: Osorio RS 15/16 7/9 6/8 6/6 7/7 14/12
September-October 2005 Neotropical Entomology 34(5) 839
Figures 1-4. Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis ssp., female 
spermathecae. 1. CF 049-1 Tramandai, RS. 2. CF 049-2 
Tramandai, RS. 3. V 26 Osorio, Rs. 4. v 225 Osorio, RS.
sternum VII: 22 to 25 in P. p. platensis and 8 to 10 in P. 
platensis cisandinus. Data in Table 1 would suggest that 
the chaetotaxy of sterna II and VII numerically overlap 
[especially the basal sterna noted in specimens from the 
same municipalities (CF 049:Tramandai; V 26 and V 225: 
Osorio) or collected on the same host: C. flamarioni (CF 
049)] largely invalidates the use of these characters to 
distinguish these two subspecies.
Some variations were also noted in the spermathecae. 
In specimens from Tramandai (Figs. 1 and 2) the bulgae 
are longer than wide; in ones from Osorio (Figs. 3 and 4), 
they were as long as broad. Differences were also observed 
in the angle between axes of bulga and liilla. Contrary to 
specimens from Tramandai (Figs. 1 and 2), each from Osorio 
show the liilla reflected on the bulga (Figs. 3 and 4). Based 
on the angles between these axes as presented in the 
illustrations of Smit (1987), the specimens from Tramandai 
are similar to P. platensis, while those from Osorio were 
more like to P. cisandinus. However, only one of the 
specimens from Osorio exhibits the apex of the liilla wider 
than the base (Fig. 3). With the exception of the Fig. 3, the 
other spermathecae present the ventral margin of the bulga 
markedly indented. The dorsal margin of bulga were variable 
between the specimens of the Figs. 2 and 4. The distal arm 
of sternum IX (Fig. 5) basimere and telomere (Fig. 6) are 
nearer to P. platensis cisandinus in shape and chaetotaxy 
when compared with the illustrations of Smit (1987). The 
male also differs from the two subspecies in the following 
characteristics of the aedeagus (Fig. 7): coiling of the tubus 
interior forming 1.2 turn, and the angle between the distal 
and proximal arms of the basal part of its tubus inner is 90°. 
Some females from the same host (CF 049) show characters 
of platensis and others of cisandinus, while the male
\
Figures 5-7. Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis ssp., modified segments of the male CF 049. 5. Sternum IX. 6. Basimere and 
Telomere. 7. Aedeagus.
840 Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Siphonaptera:... Linardi et al.
Table 2. Distribution of species of Polygenis (Rhopalopsyllidae: Rhopalopsyllinae) in Central and South American 
countries.
Countries No. fleas No. Rhopalo­psyllidae
Rhopalopsyllinae Polygenis
No.
Endemic species
No. %
No. %
Argentina 108 48 23 5 21.74 15 13.88
Bolivia 28 19 17 3 17.64 9 32.14
Brazil 59 34 34 9 26.47 19 32.20
Chile 94 25 3 - - 2 2.12
Colombia 48 16 15 5 33.33 7 14.58
Costa Rica 12 6 6 1 16.67 1 8.33
El Salvador 15 4 4 - - 3 20.00
Ecuador 38 8 7 - - 4 10.53
French Guiana 12 6 6 - - 2 16.67
Mexico 134 8 8 3 37.50 6 4.47
Panama 37 10 10 - - 3 8.11
Paraguay 14 5 5 - - 2 14.28
Peru 81 32 15 1 6.67 8 9.88
Surinam 4 2 2 - - 1 25.00
Trinidad 10 6 6 - - 3 30.00
Uruguay 2 1 1 - - 1 50.00
Venezuela 54 16 16 2 12.50 10 18.52
specimen was nearer to cisandinus.
The geographical area where these specimens were 
collected is nearer to that of the distribution of P. p. platensis. 
situated on the confluence of the Uruguayan and Argentinean 
pampas. For this reason the subspecific status is undefined 
and more morphological data are required to determine the 
validity of them.
Both C. flamarioni and C. minutus are new host records 
for P. (P.) platensis.
For our knowledge, regardless of the subspecies. P. 
platensis s. I. is recorded for the first time in Brazil. 
Tramandai (29°56’S) and Capao da Canoa (50°01’W) in 
the State of Rio Grande do Sul represent the southern and 
eastern limits of the distribution of this flea species, 
respectively.
Because of the confluence of biomes, or contiguous 
morphoclimatic domains between neighbouring countries, 
some of the species reported for other South American 
countries are likely to occur in Brazil. It is important to 
stress that in Venezuela, with a geographic area 
approximately nine times smaller than Brazil, Tipton & 
Machado-Allison (1972) recorded 54 species of 
Siphonaptera (Table 2), despite the country size being less 
important than the diversity created by altitude, i. e.. lowland 
terraine versus lulls and montane habitats. In Brazil, the 
majority of the flea species are found in south and southeast 
regions because they have been most frequently studied. 
Consequently. Atlantic forest appears as the biome that 
concentrates the highest number of known flea species, 
followed by Araucaria forest. Future studies should focus 
on the savanna largely unexplored and Amazon forest 
biomes, where the data are still being collected, as well as 
pampa. In fact, although essentially overgrown by pampa, 
only one species of Rhopalopsyllidae lias been recorded from 
Uruguay (Table 2).
Since some species of Polygenis are vectors of sylvatic 
plague and that P. platensis cisandinus is known to feed on 
man and transmit Yersinia pestis (De la Barrera 1942 apud 
Guimaraes 1972), the distribution and host/parasite 
relationships of P. platensis requires additional 
investigations.
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Received 30X11/04. Accepted 21 111 05.


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

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

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