New species records of Quadraseta Brennan, 1970 (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) in South America

The genus Quadraseta Brennan, 1970 (Trombiculidae) is distributed in South American, with a few records from Central America. The larvae (chiggers) are primarily mammal parasites, with one species from birds. Examination of unidentified material at US National Insect and Mite Collection revealed five species to this genus: Q. brasiliensis Goff & Gettinger, 1989, Q. falconensis Goff & Brennan, 1977, Q. flochi (Brennan & Jones, 1960), Q. mackenziei (Yunker & Brennan 1964), and Q. mirandae Goff & Brennan, 1977. This study resulted in new South American localities and host records for these species.

A new locality record for Radfordiella desmodi radovsky, 1967 (Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) parasitizing the vampire bat in Brazil

Macronyssid mites are ectoparasites of reptiles, birds, and mammals (mainly bats). Out of 35 genera in this family, Radfordiella Fonseca, 1948 is a genus from the Neotropical region with six valid species, found parasitizing phyllostomid bats. Only Radfordiella desmodi Radovsky, 1967 and Radfordiella oudemansi Fonseca, 1948 have been registered in Brazil. The present study provides a new locality record for the species R. desmodi, microscopy images to aid in the identification, and a distribution map.

Morphological and molecular analysis of Ornithonyssus spp. (Acari: Macronyssidae) from small terrestrialmammals in Brazil

Based on chaetotaxy of the dorsal shield, the taxonomic status of many speciesof Ornithonyssus has been considered invalid, resulting in the synonymy of all Brazilian Ornithonyssus from small terrestrial wild mammals into one of the following four species:Ornithonyssus bacoti (Hirst, 1913), Ornithonyssus matogrosso (Fonseca, 1954), Ornithonyssuspereirai (Fonseca, 1935) or Ornithonyssus wernecki (Fonseca, 1935). Despite therevision of this genus in 1980, including all known species worldwide, the knowledge of Ornithonyssus in Brazil has not progressed for more than 40 years. Considering the potential importance of these haematophagous mites in transmitting rickettsial diseaseagents to animals and humans, we have revised Ornithonyssus species collected from small mammals in Brazil by means of morphological and molecular studies. Types and other material deposited in the Acari Collection of the Instituto Butantan (IBSP) were examinedin addition to recently collected specimens. Morphological and genetic analysis of the 16S rDNA mitochondrial gene revealed that small terrestrial mammals in Brazil are parasitizedby six species of Ornithonyssus mites: Ornithonyssus brasiliensis (Fonseca, 1939), O. matogrosso, O. monteiroi (Fonseca, 1941), O. pereirai, O. vitzthumi (Fonseca, 1941), and O. wernecki. An illustrated key to females of the valid Brazilian species of Ornithonyssus is included, based on optical and scanning electron microscopy.

First record of Amblyomma scalpturatum Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) in the States of Paraná and Roraima, Brazil

Amblyomma scalpturatum Neumann has been reported in Brazil in the northern (States of Amazonas, Pará and Rondônia) and mid-western regions (States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul). It has been found in association with large and medium sized mammals, as Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Xenarthra and Carnivora. In this paper, this tick species is reported for the first time in the Brazilian states of Paraná and Roraima, southern and northern regions, respectively.

Nymphs of the genus Amblyomma (Acari: Ixodidae) of Brazil: descriptions,redescriptions, and identification key

Together with the larval stage, the nymphal stage of ticks of the genus Amblyomma are the most aggressiveticks for humans entering areas inhabited by wildlife and some domestic animals in Brazil. However, due to the absence of morphological descriptions of the nymphal stage of most Brazilian Amblyomma species, plus the lack of an identification key, little or nothing is known about the life history of Amblyomma spp. nymphs in the country. In the present study, morphological description of the nymphal stage,illustrating important external characters through scanning electron microscopy, is provided for nymphsof 15 Amblyomma species that occur in Brazil, for which the nymphal stage had never been described: A. aureolatum, A. auricularium, A. calcaratum, A. coelebs, A. fuscum, A. humerale, A. incisum, A. latepunctatum, A. naponense, A. nodosum, A. ovale, A. pacae, A. pseudoconcolor, A. scalpturatum, A. varium. In addition, the nymphal stage of 12 Amblyomma species, which had been previously described, are redescribed: A. brasiliense, A. cajennense, A. dissimile, A. dubitatum, A. longirostre, A. oblongoguttatum, A. parkeri, A. parvum, A. romitii, A. rotundatum, A. tigrinum, A. triste. The descriptions and redescriptions totalized 27 species. Only 2 species (A. geayi, A. goeldii) out of the 29 Amblyomma species established in Brazil are not included in the present study. A dichotomous identification key is included to support taxonomic identification of the nymphal stage of 27 Amblyomma species established in Brazil.

Occurrence of Amblyomma longirostre in Ramphastos dicolorus in Southern Brazil / Ocorrência de Amblyomma longirostre em Ramphastos dicolorus no Sul do Brasil

The species Amblyomma longirostre Koch, 1844 is poorly known in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Usually the adult stage could be found on Sphigurus spp. and the immatures on birds (Passeriformes). Although A. longirostre is distributed in the Neotropical region, from Panama to Uruguay, it also occurs in Central America and the United States. The aim of this study was to report that Ramphastos dicolorus Linnaeus 1766 is a new host record for this tick species.

A espécie Amblyomma longirostre Koch, 1844 é pouco conhecida no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Normalmente a fase adulta pode ser encontrada em porquinhos Sphigurus spp., e as fases imaturas podem ser encontradas em aves (Passeriformes). A. longirostre distribui-se na região neotropical, do Panamá ao Uruguai. Ela também ocorre na América Central e nos Estados Unidos. Este estudo tem como objetivo relatar que Ramphastos dicolorus Linnaeus 1766 é um novo hospedeiro dessa espécie de carrapato.

Comments on the validity of Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae), a taxon known solely by the type specimens from Northern Brazil / Comentários sobre a validade de Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae) um táxon conhecido somente pelos espécimes tipos do Norte do Brasil

The types of Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch and its junior synonym H. sanguinolenta Koch, both from State of Pará, Brazil, have been studied. Although H. cinnabarina has been considered a synonym of H. punctata Canestrini and Fanzago (a Palearctic species), they were compared to another closely related species H. chordeilis (Packard) (a Nearctic species). Based on the morphology and geographical distance among of H. cinnabarina, H. chordeilis and H. punctata, we are reasonably sure that all are valid taxa. The lack of additional reports of H. cinnabarina is more related to few investigations in South America, mainly in Northern Brazil, rather than suggesting that it does not exist.

Os tipos de Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch e da espécie sinônima H. sanguinolenta Koch, ambos do Estado do Pará, Brasil, foram estudados. Embora H. cinnabarina tenha sido considerada uma sinonímia de H. punctata Canestrini e Fanzago (uma espécie Paleártica), elas foram comparadas a uma outra espécie próxima, H. chordeilis (Packard) (uma espécie Neártica). Com base em morfologia e distância geográfica entre H. cinnabarina, H. chordeilis e H. punctata, consideramos válidos os três taxa. A ausência de relatos adicionais de H. cinnabarina está mais relacionada à ausência de investigações na América do Sul, principalmente no Norte do Brasil, do que a sugestão da sua não existência.

Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, 1946 (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitando Mazama nana (Hensel, 1872) (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) no estado do Rio Grande do Sul / Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, 1946 (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing Mazama nana (Hensel, 1872) (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in the State of Rio Grande do Sul

O encontro de Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, um carrapato ixodídeo, no veado bororó-do-sul, Mazama nana (Hensel), representa novo relato de ocorrência, após 34 anos de seu registro no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Os exemplares de carrapatos (3 machos e 1 fêmea) foram encontrados em Cachoeira do Sul, RS (30º02’21"S, 52º53’38"W). O local está a 72 m acima do nível do mar, com uma média anual de temperatura de 18,8°C, e uma precipitação média anual de 1.438 mm. Este é o primeiro registro de H. juxtakochi nesta espécie de cervídeo e um segundo relato de ocorrência para o Estado do Rio Grande do Sul.

The record of Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, an ixodid tick, on the brocket deer, Mazama nana (Hensel), represents a new report after 34 years of its last report in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The tick specimens (three males and one female) were found in Cachoeira do Sul, RS (30º02’21"S, 52º53’38"W). This place is elevated 72 m sea above, with an annual average temperature of 18.8°C, and annual average rainfall of 1.438 mm. This is the first record of this tick species in a Cervidae and it is the second occurrence report for the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

First report of mites (Gamasida: Laelapidae) parasitic on wild rodents in Uruguay, with new host records

Information is presented for the first time on laelapid mites associated with wild rodents in Uruguay. Specimens of the following species were identified: Laelapinae: Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese), Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca), Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans), Laelaps paulistanensis (Fonseca), Laelaps manguinhosi (Fonseca) and Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). Most of the ectoparasite-host associations are reported for the first time. New host and locality records presented in this study are in accordance with previous findings on the same and/or related host species in nearby South American localities.

Se presenta por primera vez información sobre ácaros lelápidos asociados a roedores silvestres en Uruguay. Se identificaron especímenes de las siguientes especies: Laelapinae: Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese), Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca), Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans), Laelaps paulistanensis Fonseca, Laelaps manguinhosi Fonseca y Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). La mayoría de las asociaciones ectoparásito-hospedador se registran por primera vez. Los nuevos registros de hospedador y localidad que se presentan en este estudio coinciden con hallazgos previos en las mismas, o estrechamente relacionadas, especies hospedadoras en localidades cercanas de Sud América.