Records of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on humans and distribution of spotted-fever cases and its tick vectors in Paraná State, southern Brazil.

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is the deadliest rickettsiosis in the world. Although the epidemiology of the disease has been established in Brazil, there are still limited data available on distribution of tick vectors and tick species parasitizing humans in the country, particularly in Paraná State. The State of Paraná is located in the southern region of the country and is covered by two biomes: Atlantic rainforest and Cerrado.

Rickettsial infection in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected on birds in southern Brazil.

The aim of the study was to evaluate rickettsial infection in ticks from wild birds of the Semidecidual and Atlantic Rainforest remnants of three municipalities of the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. Overall, 53 larvae and nymphs collected from birds were checked for the presence of Rickettsia DNA by molecular tests. Five tick species were tested: Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas), Amblyomma calcaratum Neumann, Amblyomma longirostre (Koch), Amblyomma ovale Koch, and Amblyomma parkeri Fonseca and Aragão.

First record of Amblyomma scalpturatum Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) in the states of Paraná and Roraima, Brazil.

Amblyomma scalpturatum Neumann has been reported in Brazil in the northern (States of Amazonas, Pará and Rondônia) and mid-western regions (States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul). It has been found in association with large and medium sized mammals, as Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Xenarthra and Carnivora. In this paper, this tick species is reported for the first time in the Brazilian states of Paraná and Roraima, southern and northern regions, respectively.

Redescription of the female, description of the male, and several new records of Amblyomma parkeri (Acari: Ixodidae), a South American tick species.

The tick Amblyomma parkeri Fonseca and Aragão was described in 1952, based on female and immature ticks collected in the states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina, Brazil. Thereafter, there has been no further report of A. parkeri, and the male has remained unknown.

Comments on the validity of Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae), a taxon known solely by the type specimens from northern Brazil.

The types of Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch and its junior synonym H. sanguinolenta Koch, both from State of Pará, Brazil, have been studied. Although H.

Validation and redescription of Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli, 1939 (Acari: Ixodidae).

The current synonymy of Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli, 1939, a Neotropical species, with the Oriental species A. extraoculatum Neumann, 1899 is discussed. The type-specimens of both species were examined and their morphological differences determined.

First report of mites (Gamasida: Laelapidae) parasitic on wild rodents in Uruguay, with new host records.

Information is presented for the first time on laelapid mites associated with wild rodents in Uruguay. Specimens of the following species were identified: Laelapinae: Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese), Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca), Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans), Laelaps paulistanensis (Fonseca), Laelaps manguinhosi (Fonseca) and Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). Most of the ectoparasite-host associations are reported for the first time.

Description of the larva of Amblyomma longirostre (Koch,1844)(Acari: Ixodidae) by light and scanning electron microscopy.

The description of the larva of Amblyomma longirostre (Koch, 1844) is based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. Larvae (F1) were obtained under laboratory conditions from an engorged A. longirostre female, which had been collected on a Coendu prehensilis (Linnaeus) (Rodentia: Erethizontidae) from the Jaraguá Mountain, São Paulo municipality, State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Amblyomma aureolatum and Ixodes auritulus (Acari: Ixodidae) on birds in southern Brazil, with notes on their ecology.

Between January 1999 and December 2000, 876 bird specimens were captured in three different ecological environments from the Reinhard Maack Park, Curitiba, State of Paraná, southern Brazil. A total of 142 birds (16.2%) were infested with Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas 1772) (N=699) and/or Ixodes auritulus Neumann, 1904 (N=18) ticks.

Ixodes (Multidentatus) paranaensis n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae) a parasite of Streptoprocne biscutata (Sclater 1865) (Apodiformes: Apodidae) birds in Brazil.

During an ecological study, carried out between 1994 and 1996 with Streptoprocne biscutata (Sclater) (Apodiformes: Apodidae) birds, that inhabit caves in the Quatro Barras County, State of Paran , Southern Brazil, a new tick species of the subgenus Multidentatus was observed. The female, male, nymph, and larva of Ixodes (Multidentatus) paranaensis n. sp.