The parasitism of Ixodes luciae (Acari: Ixodidae) on marsupials and rodents in Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

In this work the infestation with I. luciae on Didelphimorphia and Rodentia in different environments of Peruvian Amazon was studied. Didelphimorphia was represented by the family Didelphidae. Specimens belonging to Caluromys lanatus, Didelphis marsupialis, Marmosops sp.2, Metachirus nudicaudatus, Philander andersoni and Philander opossum were infested with adults I. luciae and one Micoureus sp. was infested with larvae. In Rodentia, the infestation with I. luciae nymphs was restricted to Hylaeamys perenensis, Hylaeamys yunganus and Oligoryzomys microtis, while one Oecomys bicolor (all Cricetidae) was infested with larvae of this species. The few larvae were found on rodents captured in primary forest. The only significant difference (P < 0.05) in prevalence of adult ticks on Didelphimorphia was between P. andersoni and M. nudicaudatus (chisquare distribution). Adult tick distribution was significant different in P. andersoni in comparison with M. nudicaudatus, P. opossum and D. marsupialis (Kruskal-Wallis test). No significant effect of month or environment was detected in relation to adult tick infestation on Didelphimorphia. The prevalence of nymphal infestation as well as tick distribution showed that H. perenensis and H. yunganus were significantly more prone to be infested with nymphs of I. luciae than O. microtis. Prevalence of nymph infestation was higher in primary and secondary forest than rural areas while abundance was higher in secondary forest when compared with rural areas (P < 0.05). Kruskal-Wallis test showed differences (P < 0.05) for nymphal infestation during December in relation to January, March, April and June. The natural cycle of I. luciae appeared to be continuous, bound to adult tick infestation on Philander and nymphal infestation on Hylaeamys in forested environs. bicolor (todos Cricetidae) esteve infestado por larvas de I. luciae. As poucas larvas foram encontradas em roedores capturados na floresta primária. A única diferença significante (P < 0.05) na prevalência de carrapatos adultos em Didelphimorphia foi entre P. andersoni e M. nudicaudatus (distribuição chi-quadrado). A distribuição de carrapatos adultos foi significativamente diferente em P. andersoni quando comparado com M. nudicaudatus, P. opossum e D. marsupialis (teste Kruskal-Wallis). Nenhum efeito significante do mês ou ambiente foi observado em relação à infestação por carrapato adulto em Didelphimorphia. Tanto a prevalência de infestações por ninfas, como a distribuição do carrapato indicaram que H. perenensis e H. yunganus estiveram mais propensos a estarem infestados por ninfas de I. luciae do que O. microtis. A prevalência de infestações por ninfas foi maior em florestas primária e secundária do que em áreas rurais, enquanto que a abundância foi maior em floresta secundária, quando comparada com áreas rurais (P < 0.05). O teste Kruskal-Wallis indicou diferenças (P < 0.05) para infestações por ninfas durante Dezembro, em relação a Janeiro, Março, Abril e Junho. O ciclo natural de I. luciae parece ser continu...

Association patterns of ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae, Argasidae) of small mammals in Cerrado fragments, western Brazil

“…We believe this could be a biogeographic distribution pattern of the Ixodes genus, related to climate or vegetation. Overall, the richness and abundance of species of the genus are higher in the Atlantic Forest and Amazon (Barros-Battesti et al 2000;Díaz et al 2009;Martins et al 2013), while in Cerrado, Chaco and Caatinga regions species of this genus are rarely recorded (Labruna et al 2002a;Veronez et al 2010;Horta et al 2011 conducted a study with small terrestrial mammals in several localities in the state of Minas Gerais, both in Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado and recorded three species of Ixodes (I. amarali, I. loricatus and I. schulzei). In almost all Atlantic Forest areas, at least one Ixodes species was recorded (nine of the twelve areas), while in the Cerrado localities, they found only one record of Ixodes (in a total of five areas).…”

Native Rodent Species Are Unlikely Sources of Infection for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis along the Transoceanic Highway in Madre de Dios, Peru

“…( P . brevicauda and others) accounted for 65% of 684 rodents captured over a 3-year period along the Iquitos-Nauta highway in the Department of Loreto [42] . All three Proechimys species captured in this study ( P .…”

<p class="Body" align="left">Ticks on Didelphis albiventris from a Cerrado area in the Midwestern Brazil

“…Ixodes spp. are associated to humid forests, and they are frequently found on small mammals from Atlantic Forest and Amazon (Barros-Battesti et al 2000;Díaz et al 2009;Arzua et al 2003;Luz et al 2013;Martins et al 2014). In the Cerrado, I. loricatus was reported on hosts from forest phytophysiognomies (Coelho et al 2016).…”