Ectoparasitofauna de pequenos mamíferos não voadores (roedores e marsupiais) e infestação em humanos da área de preservação ambiental do Inhamum, Maranhão, Brasil

Abstract

Knowledge of biodiversity hosts of ectoparasites of marsupials and rodents is essential for preservation, conservation and maintenance of animal species. The present survey aimed to the identification and ecology of ectoparasites of marsupials and rodents, we calculated the prevalence, dominance, abundance, and mean intensity of parasitism was related to the capture of hosts and ectoparasites with the factors of time and space. The capture of the hosts was performed at the Área de Preservação Ambiental do Inhanum (APA), município de Caxias, estado do Maranhão, Brasil. It was used traps of the types Sherman, Tomahawk and Pitfall Y-shaped, at strategic points of the APA. In each campaign were used 50 traps Sherman, 40 Tomahawk-type and six transects Pitfall Y-shaped totaling seven campaigns of seven days and 798 capture efforts. The animals were restrained chemically form the colection of the ectoparasites. The arthropods were collected manually with forceps, fine combs, brushes and packaged in individual vials containing 70% alcohol as a preservative. The lice and mites were processed for permanent mouting.Ticks were examined in stereomicroscope. The identification of specimens of ectoparasites was according to the key proposed by: Fairchild & Handley Jr (1966), Fonseca (1935-1936), Aragão & Fonseca (1961), Furman & Catts (1970), Linardi & Guimarães (2000), Martins et al. (2010), Barros-Battesti (2006) and Nieri-Bastos (2011). The used the Fisher's test with a significance level of 5% (p <0.05). The following marsupial species were captured: Didelphis albiventris, Gracilinanus agilis, Marmosa murine Micoureus demerarae, Caluromys philander, Marmosops pinheiroi, Didelphis aurita, totaling 53 specimens. In these hosts were collected ectoptarasitos of the families Ixodidae, Argasidae Trombiculidae, and Macronyssidae Laelapidae. The higher prevalence of ectoparasites was in D. aurita; Ixodidae and Argasidae. The prevalence, abundance, mean intensity of parasitism and range obtained in opossums were 50.94%, 17.37, 34.11 and 1-446, respectively. The family Ixodidae had a prevalence of 48.20% in D. aurita. There was no statistically significant difference between D. albiventris and G. agilis; D.albiventris and G. agilis showed higher poliparasitism; D. aurita showed higher coefficient of dominance for Ixodidae, the number of arthropods in marsupial was associated with rainfall. The temperature and soil moisture at 10 cm did not influence the infestation of marsupials. The following rodents were captured: Trichomys incertae sedis, Hylaeamys megacephalus, Oecomys incertae sedis, Oligoryzomys aff. fornesi, Necromys lasiurus, Wiedomys pirrohinus, Rhipidomys cariri cariri, Wiedomys spp. These ectoparasites families were collected: Ixodidae, Argasidae, Laelapidae, Macronyssidae and Trimenoponidae. The prevalence, the average intensity of parasitism, abundance and range were 72; 28.61; 21.46, and 0 to 280, respectively. Associations between Ixodidae and Argasidae, Ixodidae and Laelapidae; Laelapidae and Argasidae, Ixodidae and Macronyssidae; Laelapidae and Macronyssidae were significant (p <0.0001). T. incertae sedis presented de greater poliparasitism. Trimenoponidae showed the higher coefficient of dominance (100%). The highest abundance and mean intensity of parasitism was Ixodidae H. megacephalus (10.83). It was found that there is an association between rainfall and capturing rodents; collection of ectoparasites and rainfall. This work was authorized by ICMBio / SISBIO No. 25746-1 and the Ethics Committee / UEMA n ° 03/2013.