Description of an amazing nest of Caatinga Cachalote Pseudoseisura cristata infested by Psammolestes tertius in Tauá, state of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT

Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg 1965 is a triatomine species part of the tribe Rhodniini. It is only wild and found in bird nests, mostly of the Furnariidae family. This work describes the amazing infestation of a nest of Pseudoseisura cristata in the municipality of Taua, Ceará. The nest harbored a colony with about 40 specimens of P. tertius in all evolutionary stages, all negative for trypanosomatids. A rodent of the species Wiedomys pyrrhorhinos was seen running away from the nest. The materials used to build the nest included the typical natural wigs, and various anthropogenic materials such as razor blades, shaver, fork, sunglasses, metal fragments, fragments of plastic objects, wire, barbed wire, plastic sandal straps, paper, plastic lid, pieces of plastic bags, gas cylinder label, large feathers and the exuviae of a snake.