A new species of argasid tick (Acari: Argasidae) is described from immature and adult specimens collected from several localities in Brazil. A complete morphological account is provided for all postembryonic life stages, i.e., larva, nymph, female, and male. Ornithodoros cavernicolous n. sp. is the 113(th) in the genus. Morphologically, the new species shares common features, e.g., presence of well-developed cheeks and legs with micromammillate cuticle, with other bat-associated argasid ticks included in the subgenus Alectorobius. In particular, the new species is morphologically related to Ornithodoros azteci Matheson, with which it forms a species group. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences supports the placement of the new species within a large clade that includes other New World bat-associated argasids. However, the new species seems to represent an independent lineage within the genus Ornithodoros.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and abundance of mites in the soil beneath cultivated coffee trees (Coffea arabica L.). In particular, we compared mite communities in three different soil environments: 1) native forest; 2) soils from underneath the coffee trees "under full sun" (i.e. areas that received no additional shade or organic treatment); 3) soils that incorporated organic matter from four leguminous windbreak plant species-acacia, Acacia mangium Wild.; pigeon pea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.; gliricidia, Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.; and leucaena, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Sampling was conducted at the ends of the dry and rainy seasons, in São Sebastião do Paraíso, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Undisturbed soil samples were acquired using a cylinder and a Berlese-Tullgren funnel was used to extract the mites in the laboratory. A total of 1,014 mite specimens, assigned into 143 different species, were collected. The forest soil had the greatest richness and total abundance of edaphic mites, while the coffee plantation soils, enriched with acacia, had the lowest richness and abundance. The mite communities of treated soils were less than 18% similar to that of the forest soil. These results suggest that the substitution of native forests with cultivated systems can cause significant changes in the abundance, richness and structuring of edaphic mite communities, particularly of oribatid mites. Maintenance of mite communities should be one of the goals of agricultural practices, since these organisms are important for maintenance of biological cycles, especially for the decomposition of organic matter.
Two new larval species of Birjandtrombella minae sp. nov. and Birjandtrombella pataxo sp. nov., (Acari: Trombidiformes: Prostigmata: Neotrombidiidae) are described and illustrated from neotropical caves in Brazil (South America). The generic diagnosis of Birjandtrombella is modified and a key to larvae is presented.
Parasitic relationships between Neotropical bats and their ectoparasites are not well known, even though parasitism is one of the factors that can affect the fitness of a host population. This study characterized parasite-host relationships in relation to sex, age, body size and reproductive status in a population of Anoura geoffroyi using the indices of Prevalence, Mean Intensity and Mean Abundance. Total prevalence for 93 sampled bats was 94.6%. Two species of streblid flies that are considered primary parasites of A. geoffroyi, Exastinion clovisi (n = 203) and Anastrebla modestini (n = 152), were the most abundant ectoparasites, followed by Trichobius sp. (n = 7). Two mite species, Periglischrus vargasi (Spinturnicidae) (n = 98) and Spelaeorhynchus praecursor (Spelaeorhynchidae) (n = 11), were also found. We recorded higher mean abundance and intensity of parasitism in pregnant females compared to reproductive males and reproductively inactive females, for different specific associations of ectoparasites. Host age and body condition had no effect on the parasitological indices. Even with high rates of parasitism, parasitic load did not influence host body condition, but infestation rates by mites were higher in reproductive males and higher by flies in reproductive females, showing that ectoparasites can have variable influences between the different stages of the life history of these host bats. Thus, the reproductive activity of the hosts could be an adverse factor for resistance to parasite infestations.
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