Androlaelaps rotundus Fonseca (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with akodontine rodents in Paraguay: a morphometric examination of a pleioxenous ectoparasite

Abstract

A multivariate analysis of morphometric data suggests that the nominally pleioxenous ectoparasite, Androlaelaps rotundus, includes at least three distinct host-associated populations in Paraguay. Where multiple akodontine hosts occur sympatrically, each host species is accompanied by a morphologically distinct mite population. These host-mite associations were consistent across all localities, implying that A. rotundus is a complex of unrecognized species.Key words: ectoparasites, laelapidae, Androlaelaps, Eubrachylaelaps, akodontini, Akodon, Bolomys, Paraguay. RESUMO Androlaelaps rotundus Fonseca (Acari: Laelapidae) associada com roedores akodontinos noParaguay: um exame morfométrico do ectoparasito pleoxeno Uma análise multivariada de dados morfométricos sugere que o ectoparasito pleixeno Androlaelaps rotundus, composto por distintas populações hospedeiro-associadas, no Paraguai. Quando múltiplos hospedeiros akodontinos ocorrem simpatricamente, cada espécie de mamífero é acompanhada por uma população morfologicamente distinta de ácaro. Estas associações hospedeiro-ácaro repetiram-se nos estudos realizados em diferentes localidades, mostrando que A. rotundus é um complexo de espécies críticas indistinguíveis.

First report of mites (Gamasida: Laelapidae) parasitic on wild rodents in Uruguay, with new host records

“…In this study A. rotundus is reported on A. azarae, B. obscurus D. kempi and O. rufus. These results are in accordance with studies from Paraguay (Gettinger & Owen 2000) and Argentina (Mauri 1965, Lareschi 1996, Lareschi & Mauri 1998). In the last country, A. rotundus was recorded from the central and northern area (Lareschi & Mauri 1998), and is very abundant in the marshes of Rio de la Plata and Rio Paraná parasitizing A. azarae and D. kempi (Lareschi & Sánchez López 2000, Abba et al 2001, Liljesthröm & Lareschi 2002, Lareschi et al 2003a, Nava et al 2003.…”

“…rotundus is a composite species with a neotropical distribution and is associated with a number of different, but phylogenetically related, akodontine rodents (Gettinger & Owen 2000). In this study A. rotundus is reported on A. azarae, B. obscurus D. kempi and O. rufus.…”

Ectoparasites from small mammals from the Cerrado region in the Minas Gerais state, Brazil

“…Different studies demonstrated the preference of this species to the genera Necromys , Botelho 1990, Gettinger & Owen 2000 and Akodon (Botelho 1978, Linardi et al 1991, Barros-Battesti et al 1998 and to the species C. subflavus and N. squamipes (Fonseca & Trindade 1958). The species M. parvispinosus was found exclusively on R. mastacalis (86%).…”

Morphometric variations of laelapine mite (Acari: Mesostigmata) populations infesting small mammals (Mammalia) in Brazil

“…Previous studies focusing on ectoparasites of small mammals or in particular on laelapine mites, have described community composition and host associations in different areas and hosts of Brazil (Botelho and Williams, 1980;Linardi et al, 1984Linardi et al, , 1985Linardi et al, , 1991Gettinger, 1987;Barros et al, 1993;Martins-Hatano et al, 2000Bittencourt and Rocha, 2002;Bossi et al, 2002), or have described new species (Gettinger, 1992b(Gettinger, , 1997Gettinger and Bergallo, 2003). Morphologic variations among mite populations of different areas have rarely been studied (Gettinger, 1992a;Gettinger and Owen, 2000;Botelho et al, 2002).…”

“…This genus shows a predilection for oryzomyine rodents (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae), and tends to be specific to these hosts (Guitton et al, 1986;Gettinger, 1987;Linardi et al, 1991;Barros et al, 1993;Martins-Hatano et al, 2002;Bittencourt and Rocha 2003). Gettinger (1992a);Gettinger and Owen (2000) have demonstrated that morphometric variations can occur among laelapine mite populations associated with different host species. This research implies that the morphologic characteristics of these mites can be influenced by the species identity of the host and that morphometric data can provide an important tool to clarify the taxonomy of both mites and hosts.…”