Ectoparasites of small mammals in a fragmented area of the southern Amazonia: interaction networks and correlations with seasonality and host sex

• Published in: Experimental & applied acarology Vol. 81; no. 1; pp. 117 - 134
• Main Authors: de Mendonça, Ravena F. B., Colle, Ana C., Freitas, Leodil C., Martins, Thiago F., Horta, Maurício C., Oliveira, Glauber M. B., Pacheco, Richard C., Mateus, Lúcia A. F., Rossi, Rogério V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-05-2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amblyomma; Animal Ecology; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ectoparasites; Entomology; Habitat fragmentation; Infestation; Insects; Larvae; Lice; Life Sciences; Mammals; Mites; Seasonal variations; Sex; Siphonaptera; Specialization; Taxa; Ticks; Ectoparasites; Didelphimorphia; Parasite-host association; Rodentia
• ISSN: 0168-8162; 1572-9702
• DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00491-5

The present work aimed to analyze the ectoparasite-host interaction network and possible differences of this interaction related to two seasonal periods and host sex. During November 2016 and July 2017, non-flying small mammals were captured in 17 forest fragments located in the southern portion of the Amazon biome. We captured 96 individuals belonging to 10 host species that were parasitized with a total of 3668 ectoparasites. Overall, we identified 24 ectoparasite taxa belonging to the mite and insect groups Ixodida (ticks), Mesostigmata, Sarcoptiformes, Trombidiformes (mites), Phthiraptera (lice), and Siphonaptera (fleas). The interaction network between all ectoparasites and hosts showed significant deviation from random, with moderately high specialization index (
H2′
 = 0.80). There was seasonal difference in prevalence for
Amblyomma cajennense
(Fabricius) sensu stricto (s.s),
Amblyomma coelebs
Neumann and larvae of
Amblyomma
. This difference was also found in the mean intensity of infestation of
Amblyomm
a larvae and the mite
Tur aragaoi
(Fonseca). Only mean intensity of infestation differed in relation to host sex for the species
Marmosa constantiae
Thomas. Our results demonstrate that specificity between ectoparasites and small mammals in this region is moderately high and that the pattern of aggregation of some ectoparasite taxa differed between two seasons, as well as between sexes in
M. constantiae
.