High prevalence of chigger mite infection in a forest-specialist frog with evidence of parasite-related granulomatous myositis

Abstract

Amphibians are hosts for a wide variety of micro- and macro-parasites. Chigger mites from the Hannemania genus are known to infect a wide variety of amphibian species across the Americas. In Chile, three species (H. pattoni, H. gonzaleacunae and H. ortizi) have been described infecting native anurans; however, neither impacts nor the microscopic lesions associated with these parasites have been described. Here, we document 70% prevalence of chigger mite infection in Eupsophus roseus and absence of infection in Rhinoderma darwinii in the Nahuelbuta Range, Chile. Additionally, we describe the macroscopic and microscopic lesions produced by H. ortizi in one of these species, documenting previously undescribed lesions (granulomatous myositis) within the host's musculature. These findings highlight that further research to better understand the impacts of chigger mite infection on amphibians is urgently required in Chile and elsewhere.

Prevalence of endoparasitic mites on four West African leaf‐litter frogs depends on habitat humidity

“…Parasitism of frogs by mites has been documented in all major biomes, in which anurans are present (Alvarado‐Rybak et al., ; Anthony et al., ; Attademo et al., ; Biolé et al., ; Diaz‐Paez et al., ; Guerrero & And Yánez‐Muñoz, ; Hatano, Gettinger, Van Sluys, & Rocha, ; Mertins, Torrence, & Sterner, ; Quinzio & Goldberg, ; Sladky, Norton, & Loomis, ; Torrence, Smith, & McMurry, ; Wohltmann, Köhler, & Martin, ). However, in Africa, frog mites have so far only been reported from West Africa (Bénin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone; Spieler & Linsenmair, ; Wohltmann et al., and MOR unpub.…”

“…This implies that mites are usually no serious problem for frogs living under natural conditions in TNP. However, we do not know whether the mites may serve as vectors for other pathogens, as another trombiculid species reputedly causes pathological effects (Alvarado‐Rybak et al., ).…”

“…Amphibians are known to carry a wide range of parasites and recently have suffered tremendous declines due to fungal and viral pathogens (e.g., Lips, ; Martel et al., ; Teacher, Cunningham, & Garner, ). Apart from these prominent and devastating examples, amphibians are frequently infested by many other parasites, for instance endoparasitic mites (Alvarado‐Rybak et al., ; Anthony, Mendelson, & Simons, ; Attademo et al., ; Biolé, Valetti, Grenat, Salas, & Martino, ; Diaz‐Paez, Cortez, de la Fuente, & Moreno Salas, ). The mites’ effects on the fitness and mate choice of their hosts, or their role as vectors for other parasites are little understood and require systematic research.…”

“…The mites’ effects on the fitness and mate choice of their hosts, or their role as vectors for other parasites are little understood and require systematic research. The prevalence of mites varies between amphibian species (Alvarado‐Rybak et al., ; Biolé et al., ), as well as between habitats (Attademo et al., ). The genus Endotrombicula, a member of the family Trombiculidae, is known to parasitize African and Malagasy leaf‐litter frogs (Hyland, ; Krantz & Walter, ; Wohltmann, du Preez, Rödel, Köhler, & Vences, ).…”

Mites as a Potential Path for Ce-Ti Exposure of Amphibians

“…The taxonomic identification of the mite genus was based on characters with taxonomic importance, such as the shape of the scutum, the cheliceral, multiple genualae on all legs, and the number of branched setae in palpal tarsus. These characteristics were evaluated in 10 specimens (Brennan and Goff, 1977;Hoffmann, 1990;Alvarado-Rybak et al, 2018). The average value for Hannemania mites among the infested individuals was 2.8 ± 1.11.…”