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 t...
Guardado en:
| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Articulo |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| Publicado: |
2020
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/123445 |
| Aporte de: |
| Sumario: | 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. Phthiropsylla agenoris was the only species found. Intensities of fleas were higher in 2015, in juveniles, and in males. Individuals with poor physical condition were more parasitized than those with good or normal body condition. The main explanatory variable was sampling year. This factor was directly associated with precipitation. The extreme conditions and heavy rains during the El Nino event in 2015/2016 led to environmental changes that seem to have severely affected the life cycle of fleas. |
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