Siphonaptera parasites of wild rodents and marsupials trapped in three mountain ranges of the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil.
A study of the associations between small mammals and fleas was undertaken in three areas of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil: Serra da Fartura, SP, Serra da Bocaina, SP, and Itatiaia, RJ. Trapping of small rodents and marsupials was done every 3 months during 2 years, from June 1999 to May 2001. A total 502 rodents (13 species) and 50 marsupials (7 species) were collected, and 185 hosts out of 552 (33.5%) captured in the traps were parasitized by 327 fleas belonging to 11 different species. New host records were determined for several flea species, and 5 significant associations between fleas and hosts were also found.
de Moraes
Leandro Bianco
LB
Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brasil.
Bossi
David Eduardo Paolinetti
DE
Linhares
Arício Xavier
AX
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000145:classification*