Patterns of parasitism by Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans) (Acari, Trombiculidae) in three species of Tropidurus Wied (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from Cerrado habitat of Central Brazil

Abstract

This study concerns the patterns of parasitism by the larvae of Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans, 1910) on three species of Tropidurus Wied, 1820 from Cerrado habitats of Central Brazil: T. oreadicus Rodrigues, 1987 (n = 97), T. itambere (n = 85) and T. torquatus (Wied, 1820) (two samples n = 75, n = 23). The highest prevalence value was observed in T. itambere (88.2%), followed by T. oreadicus (87.6%), and T. torquatus (17.3% and 65.2%). The most important sites of infestation were the mite pockets and skin folds, especially on the neck and inguinal region. Tropidurus itambere Rodrigues, 1987 was the most heavily parasitized species (mean intensity of infestation: 36.67 ± 41.09), followed by T. oreadicus (15.38 ± 21.08), and T. torquatus from Unaí, Minas Gerais (12.13 ± 21.09). The lowest intensity of infestation was found in T. torquatus from urban and periurban areas of Brasília, Distrito Federal (1.97 ± 5.43). The analysis did not indicate differences in intensity of infestation between sexes for any of the species. Differences in the patterns of parasitism among the three lizard species may be related to the morphological and numerical variation of the skin folds (especially mite pockets), to the degree of conservation of the host's habitats, and to selective processes related to reduction of damage to the host's bodies, to the evolution of mechanisms of decreasing illness transmission by parasites, or even to some behavioral traits of the lizards.