Bats used as hosts by Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae) in Northeastern Brazil and its implications on tick-borne diseases

By

Novaes, Roberto Leonan
Alves, Fernanda M.
Souza, Renan F.
Laurindo, Rafael S.
Moratelli, Ricardo

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020-11-2

Original Publication

Zoologia

Volume

37

Pages

1--4

Subjects

Caatinga , Chiroptera , hard ticks , Neotropics , Parasitism

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Curitiba, PR, Brasil Sociedade Brasileira de Zoologia [2009]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.37.e56795

 

Abstract

<br> Amblyomma<br> Koch, 1844 is distributed worldwide, with ca. 130 species currently recognized. These ticks are vectors of pathogens to animals and humans, including the causative agent of the New World Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Species of the Amblyomma parasitize a wide range of organisms, especially medium and large terrestrial mammals. Here we report for the first time the association of Myotis lavali Moratelli, Peracchi, Dias &amp;amp; Oliveira, 2011, Noctilio albiventris Desmarest, 1818 and Noctilio leporinus (Linnaeus, 1758) as hosts for Amblyomma sculptum Berlese, 1888. The ticks were originally identified as Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787), in 2011. However, a later taxonomic review indicated that the species of the A. cajennense complex occurring in the Caatinga is A. sculptum. We also discuss the ecoepidemiological implications of this association.