Fleas Associated with Mammals from Northwestern Argentina, with New Distributional Reports

LARESCHI, MARCELA; SANCHEZ, JULIANA; CECILIA EZQUIAGA; ANALÍA G. AUTINO; DÍAZ, M. MÓNICA; BARQUEZ R.M.

COMPARATIVE PARASITOLOGY

HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOC WASHINGTON, C/O ALLEN PRESS INC

Lugar: Washington, USA; Año: 2010 vol. 77 p. 207 - 213

1525-2647

Northwestern Argentina is an area of a high biodiversity. However, a few number of fleas have been recorded parasitizing mammals. In the present study we report the results of surveys carried out in the provinces of Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán and Catamarca. The following nine flea species were collected from 17 species of mammals: Craneopsylla minerva minerva (Stephanocircidae), Neotyphloceras crassispina hemisus (Ctenophthalmidae), Adoratopsylla (Tritopsylla) intermedia intermedia (Ctenophthalmidae), Tetrapsyllus (Phylliver) bleptus (Rhopalopsyllidae), Polygenis (Polygenis) acodontis (Rhopalopsyllidae), Phthiropsylla agenoris (Malacopsyllidae), Malacopsylla grossiventris (Malacopsyllidae), Pulex irritans (Pulicidae) and Hectopsylla gracilis (Tungidae). Neotyphloceras crassispina hemisus, Ad. (T.) i. intermedia, Ph. agenoris and H. gracilis are reported for the first time for the Northwest of Argentina, through specimens collected in the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, and Catamarca. The mammals Micoureus constantiae, Thylamys cf. cinderella, Thylamys cf. sponsorius (Didelphimorphia), Akodon albiventer, Akodon caenosus, Calomys lepidus, Eligmodontia hirtipes, Eligmodontia puerulus, Phyllotis xanthopygus, Tapecomys primus (Rodentia), and Chaetophractus vellerosus (Cingulata) increase the number of parasite species known to them. Eighteen new parasite-host associations are also reported.