Flea parasites of small mammals in the Monte Desert biome in Argentina with new host and locality records

LARESCHI MARCELA; RICARDO OJEDA; PEDRO M. LINARDI

ACTA PARASITOLOGICA

VERSITA

Año: 2004 vol. 49 p. 63 - 66

1230-2821

Fleas associated with small mammals from the Argentinean Monte Desert, were examined. The research was carried out inÑacuñán Biosphere Reserve (34°02´S, 67°58´W), in the Chaqueña Biogeographic Subregion of the Neotropical Region.Mammal species trapped were as follows: Rodentia, Muridae, Sigmodontinae: Akodon molinae Contreras, 1968 (N = 44),Graomys griseoflavus (Waterhouse, 1837) (N = 15), Calomys musculinus (Thomas, 1913) (N = 12), and Eligmodontia typusF. Cuvier, 1837 (N = 7); Didelphiomorphia, Didelphidae, Mamorsinae: Thylamys pusillus (Desmarest, 1804) (N = 1). A totalof 236 fleas were collected: Stephanocircidae, Craneopsyllinae: Craneopsylla minerva wolffhuegeli (Rothschild, 1909);Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae: Polygenis (Polygenis) bohlsi bohlsi (Wagner, 1901), Polygenis (Polygenis) platensiscisandinus (Jordan, 1939) and Polygenis (Neopolygenis) puelche Del Ponte, 1963; Rhopalopsyllidae, Parapsyllinae: Ectinorus(Ectinorus) barrerai Jordan, 1939. High values of total mean abundance (MA = 2.99) and total prevalence (P = 73.41%) wereobtained. A. molinae (MA = 3.14; P = 93.18; flea specific richness S = 5; Shannon specific diversity index H = 1.25) andG. griseoflavus (MA = 6.40; P = 100%; S = 5; H = 0.76) showed the highest values of the infestation parameters. No fleas werecollected from E. typus, possibly because of its habits. Fleas associated with T. pusillus are reported for the first time. Our collectionsextend the western limits of the distribution of both P. (N.) puelche and P. (P.) b. bohlsi. In addition, new host speciesare reported for every flea species and subspecies, and seven host-flea associations are mentioned for the first time.