Carios fonsecai sp. nov. (Acari, Argasidae), a bat tick from the central-western region of Brazil

Abstract

Males, females, and larvae of Carios fonsecai sp. nov. are described from free-living ticks collected in a cave at Bonito, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The presence of cheeks and legs with micromammillate cuticle makes adults of C. fonsecai morphologically related to a group of argasid species (mostly bat-associated) formerly classified into the subgenus Alectorobius, genus Ornithodoros. Examination of larvae indicates that C. fonsecai is clearly distinct from most of the previously described Carios species formerly classified into the subgenus Alectorobius, based primarily on its larger body size, dorsal setae number, dorsal plate shape, and hypostomal morphology. On the other hand, the larva of C. fonsecai is most similar to Carios peropteryx, and Carios peruvianus, from which differences in dorsal plate length and width, tarsal setae, and hypostome characteristics are useful for morphological differentiation. The mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequence of C. fonsecai showed to be closest (85-88% identity) to several corresponding sequences of different Carios species available in GenBank. Bats identified as Peropteryx macrotis and Desmodus rotundus were found infested by C. fonsecai larvae in the same cave where the type series was collected. C. fonsecai showed to be aggressive to humans in the laboratory.

Ticks parasitizing bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the Caatinga Biome, Brazil

“…This region includes areas of semi-deciduous and cloud forests, and presents low rainfall and humidity regimes (COSTA et al, 2004). While ticks are associated with bats in other Brazilian biomes (LABRUNA & VENZAL 2009;LABRUNA et al, 2011;MUÑOZ-LEAL et al, 2016b), to date documented reports of ectoparasites on bats from the Caatinga Biome include only streblid flies (Diptera: Streblidae) (RIOS et al, 2008;BEZERRA et al, 2016) and spinturnicid mites (Acari: Spinturnicidae) (ALMEIDA et al, 2016). In this study we introduce the diversity of ticks parasitizing bats in the Caatinga biome, providing new records of hosts and localities for this understudied group of parasites.…”

“…While in Brazil Argasidae is represented by 24 species belonging to Antricola, Argas, Nothoaspis, and Ornithodoros genera, at least 19 species belong to the genus Ornithodoros: Ornithodoros brasiliensis Aragão, 1923;Ornithodoros capensis Neumann, 1901; Ornithodoros fonsecai (Labruna & Venzal, 2009); Ornithodoros guaporensis Nava, Venzal & Labruna, 2013; Ornithodoros hasei (Schulze, 1935); Ornithodoros jul Schulze, 1940; Ornithodoros kohlsi (Guglielmone & Keirans, 2002); Ornithodoros marinkellei Kohls, Clifford & Jones, 1969; Ornithodoros mimon Kohls, Clifford & Jones, 1969;Ornithodoros nattereri Warburton, 1927; Ornithodoros rondoniensis (Labruna, Terrassini, Camargo, Brandão, Ribeiro & Estrada-Peña, 2008); Ornithodoros rostratus Aragão, 1911; Ornithodoros rudis Karsh, 1880; Ornithodoros setosus Kohls, Clifford & Jones, 1969; Ornithodoros stageri Cooley & Kohls, 1941; Ornithodoros talaje (Guérin-Méneville, 1849); Ornithodoros faccinii Barros-Battesti, Landulfo & Luz, 2015; Ornithodoros cavernicolous Dantas-Torres, Venzal & Labruna, 2012 and Ornithodoros rietcorreai Labruna, Nava & Venzal, 2016(GUGLIELMONE et al, 2010DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2012;BARROS-BATTESTI et al, 2013WOLF et al, 2016;LABRUNA et al, 2016). Of this diversity, nine species (47%) have been associated with bats or bat-frequented caves (LABRUNA & VENZAL, 2009;LABRUNA et al, 2011;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2012;BARROS-BATTESTI et al, 2013;MARTINS et al, 2014;MUÑOZ-LEAL et al, 2016b).…”

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) as ectoparasites of Brazilian wild birds and their association with rickettsial diseases

“…Currently the Brazilian tick fauna is represented by 68 species, 46 in the Ixodidae family and 22 in the Argasidae family (ARAGÃO 1936;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2009aLABRUNA;VENZAL 2009;NAVA et al, 2010a;BARROS-BATTESTI et al, 2015;KRAWCZAK et al, 2015).…”

Subterranean biodiversity in the Serra da Bodoquena karst area, Paraguay river basin, Mato Grosso do Sul, Southwestern Brazil

“…Part of the data herein gathered were compiled from the literature, including publications such as the faunistic inventories , Pinto da Rocha 1995, Pintoda-Rocha & Sossegolo 2001, Galati et al 2003, Costa-Jr. 2004, Eriksson & Gonçalves 2010 and taxonomy-oriented works (Trajano et al 2000, Andrade et al 2001, Mahnert 2001, Labruna & Venzal 2009, Pires-Vanin 2012, in addition to unpublished dissertations (Moracchioli 2002, Cordeiro 2008 and grey literature (Godoy 1986. Original data came from collections by several speleobiologists in different occasions, including field courses, and more detailed identifications of material cited in the literature.…”