The fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) parasites of sigmodontine rodents (Cricetidae) from Northern Patagonia, Argentina

SANCHEZ, JULIANA PATRICIA; LARESCHI, MARCELA

COMPARATIVE PARASITOLOGY

HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOC WASHINGTON, C/O ALLEN PRESS INC

Lugar: Kansas; Año: 2013 vol. 80 p. 116 - 123

1525-2647

ABSTRACT: The flea fauna of Patagonia in Argentina comprises about 50% of the total species and subspecies known for Argentina.Given the high diversity of environments and a rich assemblage of sigmodontine rodents of the Patagonian region, probably its flea richness is underestimated. In the present study sixteen species and subspecies of fleas parasitizing sigmodontines from Northern Patagonia are reported. Fifteen new parasite-host associations and new records of geographical distribution are reported. The results suggest the coexistence of an flea endemic fauna (Tetrapsyllus (Tetrapsyllus) tantillus; Tetrapsyllus (Tetrapsyllus); Ectinorus (Ectinorus) spiculatus; Agastopsylla boxi boxi and Sphinctopsylla ares), coexisting with others species and genera that occur mainly at lower latitudes than those of Patagonia (Tetrapsyllus (Phylliver) bleptus; Ectinorus (Ectinorus) hapalus and Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus). Considering that the same happens with some species and genera of their sigmodontine hosts, future studies will allow determining the limits of distribution of each flea taxon, and analyzing the influence of the geographical distribution of their hosts.