Description of a New Species of Bat-Associated Argasid Tick (Acari: Argasidae) from Brazil

Abstract

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.

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

“…Fully engorged specimens were measured using a stereoscope SteREO Discovery V12 (all measurements are given in mm). Ticks were identified at genus level according to Barros-Battesti et al (2013), and species diagnoses followed Kohls et al (1969), Jones & Clifford (1972), and original descriptions of other Neotropical Ornithodorinae (KEIRANS & CLIFFORD, 1975;NAVA et al, 2010;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2012). Additional comparisons of immature specimens were made using part of the material deposited at the "Coleção Nacional de Carrapatos" (CNC) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.…”

“…The family Argasidae, known as soft ticks, comprises more than 200 species worldwide with 91 representatives in the Neotropics (NAVA et al, 2010;GUGLIELMONE et al, 2010;BARROS-BATTESTI et al, 2013VENZAL et al, 2015;MUÑOZ-LEAL et al, 2016a;LABRUNA et al, 2016). 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;…”

Immature argasid ticks: diagnosis and keys for Neotropical region

“…Most species are known only from the larval stage, and therefore, the keys for specific diagnosis, although older, refer to this stage 1969). Currently, the genus comprises around 118 known species around the world (VIAL; CAMICAS, 2009;NAVA et al, 2009;GUGLIELMONE et al, 2010;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2012;HEATH, 2012;VENZAL et al, 2013a, b); 55 species occur in the Neotropical region, and 16 in Brazil. The first species recorded in Brazil was O. rostratus (ARAGÃO, 1911) and the second was O. brasiliensis (ARAGÃO, 1923), followed by O. nattereri (WARBURTON, 1927), O. jul , O. hasei cited as O. dunni Cooley and Kohls (1944), O. rudis, O. capensis, O. stageri (from specimens deposited in the USNTC) , O. setosus , O. talaje (OBA; BAGGIO, 1977), O. rondoniensis (LABRUNA et al, 2008), O. fonsecai (LABRUNA; VENZAL, 2009), O. mimon , O. marinkellei (LABRUNA et al, 2011), O. cavernicolous and O. kohlsi (from larvae deposited in the IBSP collection), Martins et al (2013).…”

“…The species O. fonsecai and O. cavernicolous were described from the larvae and adults, and from all stages, respectively (LABRUNA; VENZAL, 2009;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2012). O. fonsecai is only known from specimens collected from bats on the inner walls of São Miguel cave, located in the rural area of Bonito, state of Mato Grosso do Sul.…”

“…The argasid fauna comprises around 200 known species in the world (NAVA et al, 2009;GUGLIELMONE et al, 2010;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2012;VENZAL et al, 2013a). Of these, 87 are recognized in the Neotropical region, distributed into five genera: Antricola (17 species), Argas (12 species), Ornithodoros (55 species), Nothoaspis (2 species), and Otobius (1 species).…”