Distribution and genetic variation of Amblyomma triste (Acari: Ixodidae) in Argentina

ALBERTO A. GUGLIELMONE, SANTIAGO NAVA, MARIANO MASTROPAOLO, ATILIO J. MANGOLD

Ticks and tick-borne Diseases

Elsevier

Año: 2013 vol. 4 p. 386 - 390

1877-959X

tA study was conducted to investigate the distribution of Amblyomma triste in Argentina under the hypoth-esis that this tick prevails in riparian localities along the Paraná River and adjacent humid environmentsfrom 34◦30S to 25◦20S, approximately. Ticks were collected from mammals and vegetation in thoseenvironments from November 2008 to October 2012. Additionally, genetic variation was tested fromArgentinean, Brazilian, Chilean, and Uruguayan populations of A. triste by comparing sequences of 16SrDNA mitochondrial gene. The hypothesis was not confirmed because A. triste were collected at 36◦16S,well beyond the southern limit predicted, and the distribution along the banks of the Paraná River wasnot continuous. The northernmost population of A. triste within Argentina was found at 25◦42S. Stillundetermined abiotic factors and plant communities may play a role in modulating the abundance ofA. triste because host availability does not appear to be a restriction factor. The genetic variation amongA. triste populations from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay indicates that they belong to a unique taxonthat is considered bona fide A. triste (type locality Montevideo, Uruguay) while it is unclear if the Chileanpopulation of A. triste is conspecific with the other populations investigated in this study. It would be ofimportance to compare those genetically homogeneous populations with other populations of alleged A.triste, especially populations established in the Nearctic Zoogeographic Region in Mexico and USA.A study was conducted to investigate the distribution of Amblyomma triste in Argentina under the hypoth-esis that this tick prevails in riparian localities along the Paraná River and adjacent humid environmentsfrom 34◦30S to 25◦20S, approximately. Ticks were collected from mammals and vegetation in thoseenvironments from November 2008 to October 2012. Additionally, genetic variation was tested fromArgentinean, Brazilian, Chilean, and Uruguayan populations of A. triste by comparing sequences of 16SrDNA mitochondrial gene. The hypothesis was not confirmed because A. triste were collected at 36◦16S,well beyond the southern limit predicted, and the distribution along the banks of the Paraná River wasnot continuous. The northernmost population of A. triste within Argentina was found at 25◦42S. Stillundetermined abiotic factors and plant communities may play a role in modulating the abundance ofA. triste because host availability does not appear to be a restriction factor. The genetic variation amongA. triste populations from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay indicates that they belong to a unique taxonthat is considered bona fide A. triste (type locality Montevideo, Uruguay) while it is unclear if the Chileanpopulation of A. triste is conspecific with the other populations investigated in this study. It would be ofimportance to compare those genetically homogeneous populations with other populations of alleged A.triste, especially populations established in the Nearctic Zoogeographic Region in Mexico and USA.