Ticks infesting amphibians and reptiles in Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

RESUMOOs carrapatos encontrados infestando anfíbios e répteis no Estado de Pernambuco são revisados com base na literatura atual e em novas coletas realizadas recentemente pelos autores. Até o momento, três espécies de carrapatos foram encontradas sobre anfíbios e répteis em Pernambuco. Amblyomma fuscum parece estar exclusivamente associado à Boa constrictor, seu hospedeiro-tipo. Amblyomma rotundatum tem uma especificidade parasitária relativamente baixa, sendo encontrado em sapos, serpentes e iguana. Amblyomma dissimile já foi encontrado sobre um lagarto e também sobre pequenos mamíferos (isto é, roedores e marsupiais). Novas associações carrapato-hospedeiro e novos registros de localidades são apresentados. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Amblyomma, animais de sangue frio, associações parasito-hospedeiro. INTRODUCTIONTicks (Acari: Ixodida) are ectoparasites of great medical and veterinary significance; that is, they can cause severe losses to livestock industry and transmit many pathogens to both humans and domestic animals. Ticks are widely distributed in the world and parasitize an enormous variety of hosts, infesting all classes of vertebrates, from small amphibians and reptiles to large mammals (JONGEJAN; UILENBERG, 2004;ONOFRIO et al., 2006;DANTAS-TORRES;FIGUEREDO;NAVA et al., 2007).The Brazilian tick fauna is currently known to consist of approximately 60 valid species. Most species are in the genus Amblyomma, to which all ticks associated with ectotherms ('coldblooded animals') belong to (ARAGÃO, 1936;ARAGÃO; FON-SECA, 1961;EVANS et al., 2000;GUIMARÃES et al., 2001;TEIXEIRA et al., 2003;ONOFRIO et al., 2006).A limited amount of information about the taxonomy and ecology of ticks infesting ectotherms in the Northeastern region of Brazil is currently available. In the present article, ticks parasitizing amphibians and reptiles in the state of Pernambuco are reviewed based on recent collections of ticks from different hosts and localities, as well as based on a comprehensive review of relevant literature. MATERIAL AND METHODSThe present study is based on recent collections of ticks, from different hosts and localities (Igarassu, 07º50'03" S, 34º54'23" W; Recife, 08º03'14" S, 34º52'52" W; São Lourenço da Mata, 08º00'08" S, 35º01'06" W) in Pernambuco, Amblyomma fuscum appears to be exclusively associated with Boa constrictor, its type host. Amblyomma rotundatum has a relatively low host-specificity, being found on toads, snakes, and iguana. Amblyomma dissimile has been found on a lizard and also small mammals (i.e., rodents and marsupials). New tickhost associations and locality records are given. TICKS INFESTING AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN PERNAMBUCO

New tick records in Rondônia, Western Brazilian Amazon

“…Both A. cajennense and H. juxtakochi have been reported parasitizing various other bird species (BELDOMENICO et al, 2003;VENZAL et al, 2005;LABRUNA et al, 2007;OGRZEWALSKA et al, 2009;. The species A. rotundatum is widespread in the State of Rondônia and other Brazilian States, where it feeds primarily on toads and snakes (LABRUNA et al, 2005;BARROS-BATTESTI et al, 2006;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2008); however, this tick has been previously reported on the yellow-footed tortoise (DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2010). Finally, the present records increase the tick fauna of Rondônia to 26 species.…”

Nematodes associated with Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Squamata, Iguanidae) in Semi-arid areas of Northeastern Brazil

“…Parasitological investigations into these iguanids have shown that they host a diverse group of parasites, including nematodes (Breves et al, 2011;Lopes et al, 2006;Sarmiento et al, 1999;Freitas and Lent, 1937;Dyer et al, 1999), trematodes (Ávila and Silva, 2011;Freitas and Lent, 1937), cestodes (Ávila and Silva, 2010), and mites and ticks (Dantas-Torres et al, 2008).…”

A first record of Amblyomma dissimile (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing the lizard Ameiva ameiva (Teiidae) in Brazil

“…Amblyomma dissimile Koch 1844 is an ectoparasite commonly found on amphibians and reptiles. This parasite is widely distributed across several countries in the Americas, including some states in Brazil (Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Roraima, Pernambuco, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, and São Paulo) (ARAGÃO, 1936;SCHUMAKER;BARROS, 1994;ONOFRIO, 2007;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2008). Records of natural tick infestation of lizards in Brazil are rare because most published reports available in the literature on parasitism focus on either snakes or on laboratory experiments (SCHUMAKER; BARROS, 1994;FREITAS et al, 2004).…”

“…have been reported in some species of Brazilian reptiles (PEREIRA et al, 2000;LABRUNA et al, 2002;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2008, 2010, but the difficulty involved in identifying the immature stages of several species of Amblyomma found in Brazil has prevented a more precise identification.…”

“…Records of natural tick infestation of lizards in Brazil are rare because most published reports available in the literature on parasitism focus on either snakes or on laboratory experiments (SCHUMAKER; BARROS, 1994;FREITAS et al, 2004). At present, only two species of lizards have been reported to be infested by A. dissimile in Brazil, namely, adults from Iguana iguana (FREITAS et al, 2004) and nymphs from Tropidurus hispidus (DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2008). …”