INVESTIGADORES
OJEDA Ricardo Alberto
artículos
Título:
Flea parasites of small mammals in the Monte Desert biome in Argentina with new host and locality records
Autor/es:
LARESCHI, M., R. OJEDA Y PEDRO LINARDI
Revista:
ACTA PARASITOLOGICA
Editorial:
VERSITA
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2004 vol. 49 p. 63 - 66
ISSN:
1230-2821
Resumen:
Fleas associated with small mammals from the Argentinean Monte Desert, were examined. The research was carried out in
Ñacuñán 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 typus
F. Cuvier, 1837 (N = 7); Didelphiomorphia, Didelphidae, Mamorsinae: Thylamys pusillus (Desmarest, 1804) (N = 1). A total
of 236 fleas were collected: Stephanocircidae, Craneopsyllinae: Craneopsylla minerva wolffhuegeli (Rothschild, 1909);
Rhopalopsyllidae, Rhopalopsyllinae: Polygenis (Polygenis) bohlsi bohlsi (Wagner, 1901), Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis
cisandinus (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%) were
obtained. A. molinae (MA = 3.14; P = 93.18; flea specific richness S = 5; Shannon specific diversity index H = 1.25) and
G. griseoflavus (MA = 6.40; P = 100%; S = 5; H = 0.76) showed the highest values of the infestation parameters. No fleas were
collected from E. typus, possibly because of its habits. Fleas associated with T. pusillus are reported for the first time. Our collections
extend the western limits of the distribution of both P. (N.) puelche and P. (P.) b. bohlsi. In addition, new host species
are reported for every flea species and subspecies, and seven host-flea associations are mentioned for the first time.