Parasitism of Hannemania sp. (Acari: Leewenhoekiidae) in Pleurodema kriegi and Pleurodema cordobae from Sierra Grande, Córdoba, Argentina.

FERNANDA G. BIOLÉ; JULIAN A. VALETTI; PABLO R. GRENAT; NANCY E. SALAS; ADOLFO L. MARTINO

BIOCELL

INST HISTOL EMBRIOL-CONICET

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2013 vol. 37

0327-9545

The mites of the genus Hannemania Oudemans are intradermal parasites in numerous species of amphibian around the world. In the present study we compare the prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of infestation on the endemyc species Pleurodema kriegi and Pleurodema cordobae from Sierra Grande, Córdoba. Populations of Pleurodema were sampled in permanent and semi-permanent ponds and streams. A total of 188 adult individuals were examined under a stereoscopic microscope to quantify the number of capsules per specimen. Then the subcutaneal parasites were excised with needles for its taxonomic determination. Snout-vent length (SVL) and sex was measured to each individual. The parasites corresponding with larval of Hannemania sp. The prevalence in P. kriegi (90.99%) was notably higher than in P. cordobae (41.56%). Similar results were found comparing mean intensity (40.71/14.38 per individual, respectively) and mean abundance (37.05/5.97 per infested host, respectively) between species. A relation between body length and mean parasite abundance was only found in P. kriegi (r=0.27; p=0.0004). The present work represents the first comparative study of parasitic ecology about Hannemania sp. on cryptic and endemic species of frogs from Sierra Grande, Córdoba.