Laelapid mites (Mesostigmata) ectoparasites of Oligoryzomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in north-eastern and central Argentina

Abstract

Laelapidae mites are distributed throughout the world and include many species that are common parasites of cricetid rodents. Although knowledge of the host associations of laelapids is well recorded for the Oligoryzomys species in Buenos Aires province in Argentina, this information is scarce or null for other regions of the country and for some species of this genus. Here we report new records of laelapid mites associated with Oligoryzomys flavescens, O. fornesi and O. nigripes, obtained during collections carried out for more than a decade in north-eastern and central Argentina, covering a wide geographic range that includes sympatric sites for these rodents. Herein, laelapids associated with these rodents are reported for the first time in the provinces of Chaco and Formosa; and also for the first time records of laelapids in O. fornesi. All three rodent species are associated with the laelapids Androlaelaps fahrenholzi, Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni, Mysolaelaps microspinosus and Mysolaelaps parvispinosus. Laelaps schatzi is reported only for O. flavescens and O. fornesi, while Laelaps paulistanensis was exclusive to O. nigripes, regardless of locality. The results support the view that species reflect the distribution of each host, with the exception of M. parvispinosus. Information on the distribution of ectoparasites and their hosts is relevant to many biological questions, especially when the host and / or the ectoparasite play an important role in the transmission of pathogens of public health importance.