High Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence in armadillo (Zaedyus pichiy; Xenarthra: Chlamyphoridae) populations from Mendoza, Argentina.

Armadillos are considered important reservoir hosts for Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. The first report of T. cruzi infection in pichis (Zaedyus pichiy), a small armadillo species endemic to central Argentina and Chile, dates back to 1935.

First report of spp. (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) in (Desmarest, 1917) (Rodentia, Chinchillidae) in Argentina.

is a genus of intracellular parasitic protozoa that infects various species of mammals, birds, and reptiles worldwide. At least 46 species naturally infect rodents as intermediate hosts producing tissue cysts. This study aimed to provide the first report and molecular characterisation of spp.

Tungiasis in a southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) from Formosa province, Argentina.

Tunga penetrans causes tungiasis, a parasitic disease of humans and domestic animals. In this work we report the presence of tungiasis in the southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) from Formosa, Argentina. An individual of southern tamandua was found dead on the roadside and it presented lesions consisted with neosomes located on its four limbs.

Fleas and lesions in armadillo osteoderms.

Armadillos are bitten by several species of flea. Females of the genus Tunga penetrate the epidermis and when in place are fertilised by males, after which the abdomen swells enormously to form a 'neosome'. Within the penetrans group, T.

Biodiversity of vertebrates in Argentina: patterns of richness, endemism and conservation status.

Optimising conservation efforts requires an accurate record of the extant species as well as their geographic distributions. Nevertheless, most current conservation strategies start from an incomplete biodiversity inventory. Argentina has an extraordinary diversity of species, however, until now an updated inventory of its fauna has not been carried out.

Helminth-fauna of Patagonian armadillos: comparative analysis of parasites geographical variation.

The similarity between parasites communities' decay with distance and its analysis may explain important ecological process such host dispersion. Patagonia is inhabited by two armadillo species, Chaetophractus villosus and Zaedyus pichiy. In this study we describe and analyze the variation on helminth fauna of these armadillos in Patagonia compared with northern localities described in previous studies.

Spatial arrangement of silo bags is key to mitigate damage by wildlife.

Background: Silo bag is a major harvest storage option in many countries worldwide. Wildlife interacts with this new element in the rural landscape. As a result, wildlife activity could generate breaks in silo bag lining, causing losses to the stored content.

Fleas and ticks in armadillos from Argentinean Patagonia: Diversity, abundance and distribution.

In Argentina, quantitative information on the composition and structure of assemblages of arthropod parasites in Xenarthra is scarce. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the community of arthropod parasites of Chaetophractus villosus and Zaedyus pichiy in the Argentinean Patagonia. A total of 1300 ectoparasites (1224 fleas and 76 ticks) were collected from both host species.

A new species of Wellcomia (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) in the plains viscacha (Rodentia: Chinchillidae) from Argentina, an emended diagnosis and an update of the genus Wellcomia.

Wellcomia species (Oxyuridae, Syphaciinae) parasitise several families of rodents from Africa, Asia and America with diverse ecological characteristics. A new species of Wellcomia is described based on specimens obtained from the plains viscacha Lagostomus maximus (Chinchillidae) from Argentina. The description includes morphometric and ecological aspects and an emended diagnosis of the genus Wellcomia.

High rates of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in goats from Mendoza province, Argentina: Parasite loads in blood and seasonal variation.

Mendoza province, in central west Argentina, is considered among the high-risk provinces for vector transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Extensive goat farming is common in large parts of rural Mendoza, and goats may act as a reservoir for this parasite. The objective of this study was to determine infection rates, parasite loads, and seasonal variation of these parameters in T.

Effect of host and environment-related factors on fleas of the pichi, an armadillo from Argentina.

The pichi (Zaedyus pichiy; Cingulata: Chlamyphoridae) is an armadillo whose ectoparasite fauna is composed of ticks and fleas. Fleas were collected from 218 pichis in southern Mendoza, Argentina, in summer and winter of 2015 and 2016. Prevalences were analyzed and differences in the intensities of the total number of fleas related to host (age, sex, weight, size and physical condition) and environment-related (seasonality and year) factors evaluated.

Genetic approach reveals a polygynous-polyandrous mating system and no social organization in a small and isolated population of the screaming hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus vellerosus.

The development of agro-ecosystems in the pastures of the Pampean Region has substantially modified their structure and functioning. Many wild mammal populations in the Argentinean Pampas face habitat loss and/or fragmentation due to human activities, resulting in harmful genetic effects. The screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) is a species considered an indicator of the state of preservation of the environments it inhabits.

Cestode Parasites of Armadillos (Mammalia: Xenarthra) from Argentina: Two New Species of (Anoplocephalidae) in .

A total of 20 specimens of (Desmarest, 1804) from the Chaco Region in Argentina were examined. This study revealed the presence of 3 species of the genus Akumyan, 1946 (Cestoda Anoplocephalidae), two of them new for science. These species are described, illustrated, and compared with related species.

Helminth fauna of the screaming hairy armadillo from Argentina: the consequence of host isolation on parasite diversity.

in Argentina has a north-west and central distribution. An isolated population is located in the east of the Buenos Aires province, separated from the population of central Argentina by about 500 km. We compared the component community of between the main population in central Argentina and the isolated population, evaluating the impact of the host isolation on parasite diversity.

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics.

Xenarthrans-anteaters, sloths, and armadillos-have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths.

The seasonal role of field characteristics on seed-eating bird abundances in agricultural landscapes.

In temperate agroecosystems, avian responses in abundance and distribution to landscape attributes may be exacerbated by the coupling of natural seasons and farming practices. We assessed the seasonal roles of field type, field use in the surroundings, and distance from a field to the nearest woodlot on the abundance of seed-eating birds in a 225,000 km study area in the Pampas of central Argentina. During spring-summer and autumn of 2011-2013, we randomly selected 392 fields and used transect samples to collect data on abundance and presence of seed-eating bird species.

Tunga penetrans in Giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) from Argentina.

Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera, Tungidae) is a flea that infests humans and a variety of domestic and wild animals. Burrowing of the female flea under the skin causes tungiasis, a disease that manifests in skin lesions that if untreated, can progress to severe complications. In this paper, we report the first case of T.

Prevalence and intensity of fleas parasitizing an isolated population of screaming hairy armadillo in Buenos Aires province, Argentina: host-related factors and temporal dynamics.

Fleas (Siphonaptera) of an isolated population of Chaetophractus vellerosus (Mammalia: Xenarthra) from Magdalena (Buenos Aires province) were studied, and their presence was associated with host-related factors (age, sex, weight, size, and physical condition) and temporal dynamics (seasonality and year). Three species of fleas were identified: Polygenis (Polygenis) platensis (Rhopalopsyllidae), Tunga penetrans (Tungidae), and Pulex irritans (Pulicidae). Prevalences were significant for year, season, and physical condition.

A New Rictulariid (Nematoda: Spirurida) in Xenarthrans from Argentina and New Morphological Data of Pterygodermatites ( Paucipectines) Chaetophracti.

Pterygodermatites is a cosmopolitan genus of nematodes from mammals, and it is frequently encountered in the parasite fauna of armadillos (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Cingulata). In this work, a new species, Pterygodermatites ( Paucipectines) argentinensis, is described, and new morphometric data, new host records, and the geographical distribution of Pterygodermatites ( Paucipectines) chaetophracti are provided. We examined 109 hosts belonging to Chaetophractus vellerosus, Chaetophractus villosus, Cabassous chacoensis, Dasypus hybridus, Tolypeutes matacus, and Zaedyus pichiy, from several regions of Argentina.

Genetic structuring in a relictual population of screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) in Argentina revealed by a set of novel microsatellite loci.

The screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) is a mammal species containing disjunct and isolated populations. In order to assess the effect of habitat fragmentation and geographic isolation, we developed seven new microsatellite loci isolated from low-coverage genome shotgun sequencing data for this species. Among these loci, six microsatellites were found to be polymorphic with 8-26 alleles per locus detected across 69 samples analyzed from a relictual population of the species located in the northeast of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina).

High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction.

A high proportion of plant species is predicted to be threatened with extinction in the near future. However, the threat status of only a small number has been evaluated compared with key animal groups, rendering the magnitude and nature of the risks plants face unclear. Here we report the results of a global species assessment for the largest plant taxon evaluated to date under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria, the iconic Cactaceae (cacti).