title: Description of larva of Amblyomma romitii (Acari: Ixodidae) by optical and scanning electron microscopy, including porotaxy and phylogenetic analysis.
abstract: The description of the larva of Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli is based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. Larvae were obtained under laboratory conditions from an engorged female collected on capybara from Rurópolis municipality, State of Pará, Northern Brazil. Several characters are presented including the chaetotaxy of idiosoma, palpi and Haller's organ. The larval porotaxy (topographical and numerical patterns of integumentary structures) was presented and compared to that of the other Amblyomma spp. larvae. The mitochondrial 16S rDNA partial sequence of A. romitii generated in the present study was aligned with sequences previously determined for other Amblyomma species available in Genbank and with some species presently sequenced. The larval morphology of A. romitii and other Neotropical Amblyomma spp. larvae is discussed as well as the DNA sequence and its phylogenetic position among other species of the genus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Especial de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500, São Paulo, SP, 05503-900, Brazil. dbattesti@butantan.gov.br
authors.forename: Darci M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barros-Battesti
authors.forename: Diego G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Janio dos Santos
authors.initials: Jdos S
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Katia M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Famadas
authors.forename: João Luiz H
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Faccini
authors.forename: Pablo Henrique
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Thiago F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogrzewalska
authors.forename: Marcelo B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Labruna
authors.forename: Arlei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcili
authors.forename: Fabio da Silva
authors.initials: Fda S
authors.lastname: Barbieri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D004247:DNA