Ectoparasites (Ixodida and Siphonaptera) from Argentina with new host and distributional records on wild mammals
Abstract
Mammals harbor a rich fauna of ectoparasites representing various Arthropoda, many of which are important vectors for diseases affecting both humans and domestic animals. The aim of this research is to report fleas and ticks from wild mammals in several Argentine provinces. Our records include ticks and fleas associated with 20 species of mammals belonging to five orders (Didelphimorphia, Cingulata, Chiroptera, Rodentia, and Carnivora). A total of 24 species of ectoparasites were examined, including four tick species and 20 fleas, either species or subspecies. Eight new flea-rodent associations have been recorded. Two species of flea have been recorded for the first time in Formosa province, two in Mendoza province, one in Salta province, and four in Santa Fe province. These results provide the basis for understanding parasite-host relationships and their potential impacts on animal health.
Acknowledgments
The first author thanks to Benjamín Bender, from the IADIZA Collection, for providing her with information about the hosts deposited there.
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Research ethics: Specimens were handled and collected according to animal care and use guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists (Sikes et al. 2016).
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: MFLB: conceptualization, data curation, methodology, writing, original draft preparation, review and editing. MEM: sampling, data curation, review and editing. LIF: sampling, data curation, review and editing. MMD: data curation, writing, review and editing and supervision. All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
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Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: All relevant data are within the paper.
Appendix A1: Ectoparasites collected from several localities in 10 Argentine provinces.
Each locality is listed alphabetically followed by department or administrative area and province between parenthesis and geographic coordinates.
Autopista Santa Fe-Rosario km 116, 16 m a.s.l. (San Jerónimo, Santa Fe) 31.904222 S, 60.909833 W
Chañar Ladeado, 9 de julio entre 25 de mayo e Independencia 114 m a.s.l. (Caseros, Santa Fe) 33.324499 S, 62.034846 W
Chasicó, 175 m a.s.l. (Tornquist, Buenos Aires) 38.338096 S, 62.642504 W
Chicoana, 1,254 m a.s.l. (Chicoana, Salta) 25.102902 S, 65.533408 W
Colonia 25 de mayo, 861 m a.s.l. (San Rafael, Mendoza) 34.58565278 S, 68.54572778 W
Cuadro Nacional, 662 m a.s.l. (San Rafael, Mendoza) 34.61791944 S, 68.28279167 W
Cuesta de los Terneros, 1,230 m a.s.l. (San Rafael, Mendoza) 34.707222 S, 68.576944 W
Cumbre de Humaya, 1900 m a.s.l. (Ambato, Catamarca) 27.93668889 S, 65.94619444 W
Estación Experimental de Ganado y Pasturas Naturales “El Divisadero”, 505 m a.s.l. (Santa Rosa, Mendoza) 33.75 S, 67.68333333 W
Estancia Don Pablo, 46 m a.s.l. (Goya, Corrientes) 29.50628 S, 59.06858 W
Estancia La Chaira, 8 km desvío ruta 3 vieja, 109 m a.s.l. (Deseado, Santa Cruz) 48.167649 S, 66.804208 W
Estancia Paguazú, 108 m a.s.l. (Patiño, Formosa) 25.21266667 S, 59.64358333 W
Garayalde, 437 m a.s.l. (Florentino Ameghino, Chubut) 44.686760 S, 66.619495 W
Huaycama, 941 m (Valle Viejo, Catamarca) 28.12583333 S, 65.79095556 W
La Huayquerias, 1,022 m a.s.l. (San Carlos, Mendoza) 33.799007 S, 68.941755 W
La Llave, 557 m a.s.l. (San Rafael, Mendoza) 34.64226944 S, 68.01048889 W
La Pega, 629 m a.s.l. (Lavalle, Mendoza) 32.8 S, 68.66666667 W
Maggiolo, Padre Badía y Aldao (casa Zubasti), 122 m a.s.l. (General López, Santa Fe) 33.72199 S, 62.24514 W
Moreno y Córdoba, Facultad de Derecho, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 29 m a.s.l. (Rosario, Santa Fe) 32.943544444 S, 60.650580555 W
Ñacuñan, 573 m a.s.l. (Santa Rosa, Mendoza) 34.045603 S, 67.932520 W
Parque Pereyra Iraola y la Estación de Cría de Animales Silvestres (ECAS), 25 m a.s.l. (Berazategui, Buenos Aires) 34.847622 S, 58.115643 W
Parque Pereyra Iraola, 17 m a.s.l. (Berazategui, Buenos Aires) 34.842955 S, 58.139312 W
Puente del Inca, 2,720 m a.s.l. (Las Heras, Mendoza) 32.825200 S, 69.904760 W
Ruta Provincial N° 65, 4.2 km al O del cruce con Ruta Provincial N° 10, 29 m a.s.l. (San Jerónimo, Santa Fe) 32.366767 S, 61.134953 W
Ruta Provincial N° 65, 3.5 km al O del cruce con Ruta Provincial N° 10, 28 m a.s.l. (San Jerónimo, Santa Fe) 32.365812 S, 61.128883 W
Sobre Ruta Provincial N° 11, 2 km aprox. al N de Vera y Pintado, 58 m a.s.l. (San Justo, Santa Fe) 30.125247 S, 60.333821 W
Uranga, camino rural de acceso a Uranga, 1 km del cruce con Ruta Provincial N° 18 y 3 km antes del ingreso a Uranga, 64 m a.s.l. (Rosario, Santa Fe) 33.2684 S, 60.7597 W
Uzcudun, 340 m a.s.l. (Florentino Ameghino, Chubut) 44.271830 S, 66.159875 W
Villa Cañas, Estancia “Los Ángeles” (parque), 96 m a.s.l. (General López, Santa Fe) 34.045702 S, 61.683378 W
Villa Mercedes, 519 m a.s.l. (General Pedernera, San Luis) 33.675442 S, 65.458069 W
Zapata, 871 m a.s.l. (Tupungato, Mendoza) 33.49356111 S, 68.99141667 W
Zavalla, Parque Villarino, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 62 m a.s.l. (Rosario, Santa Fe) 33.03258611 S, 60.884925 W.
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