First record of Amblyomma tigrinum (Acari: Ixodidae) on puma (Puma concolor) in Argentina and new associations for carnivores in San Juan province

Abstract

Amblyomma tigrinum is a tick species widely distributed in South America. In Argentina, it has been recorded to occur in nearly all phytogeographic regions, exhibiting its plasticity to different types of environments. This tick is of medical and veterinary importance because its adult stages have been recorded primarily in mammals, including humans. Specifically in San Juan province, records of A. tigrinum are almost non-existent, with only two mentions, but which have no indication of host or specific place of collection. For this reason, the goal of this study is to report the first case of A. tigrinum in Argentina, as well as two new parasite-host associations of the adult tick in other carnivores in San Juan. We analyzed two individuals, one puma and one fox, which arrived at the Wildlife Rehabilitation, Environmental Education and Responsible Recreation Center (Parque Faunistico). Moreover, we analyzed one canid specimen obtained during a field sampling event. Our results indicated new records for San Juan province of A. tigrinum parasitizing Canis familiaris and Lycalopex gymnocercus, in addition to the first record for Argentina of this tick parasitizing a Puma concolor individual. The present study affords novel information about natural associations for carnivore hosts in San Juan province, and the first record of this tick on a puma for Argentina. Thus, we are contributing to the knowledge of parasite-host relationships on the group of carnivores in Argentina.