Sandra Enríquez1,2, R Guerrero3, J Arrivillaga-Henríquez4,5,6, P Araujo4, E Villacrés4, A Enríquez4, W Benítez-Ortíz4,7. 1. Unidad de Entomología Aplicada, Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Hospital del Día Building, Third Floor, Jerónimo Leiton and Gatto Sobral Streets, Quito, Ecuador. ienriquez@uce.edu.ec. 2. Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Zoonosis y Salud Pública (GIBCIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. ienriquez@uce.edu.ec. 3. Laboratorio Biología de Vectores y Parásitos, Instituto de Zoología y Ecología Tropical, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela. 4. Unidad de Entomología Aplicada, Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Hospital del Día Building, Third Floor, Jerónimo Leiton and Gatto Sobral Streets, Quito, Ecuador. 5. Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Zoonosis y Salud Pública (GIBCIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. 6. Facultad de Comunicación Social, Carrera de Turismo Histórico Cultural, Área de Ambiente y Territorio, Línea de Salud, Calidad, Biodiversidad, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. 7. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Abstract
PURPOSE: In Ecuador, knowledge of the diversity and geographic distribution of ticks, as well as their importance as vectors, is scarce. Within the family Ixodidae, the genus Amblyomma is the most diverse and parasitizes wild and domestic animals. This genus is represented by 19 species in Ecuador, 12 of which occur in the continental territory and 7 in the Galapagos Islands. In this way, the objective of this work was to update the diversity of ticks reported for Ecuador on wild and domestic animals. METHODS: The specimens were collected manually on mammals and birds, in four localities belonging to the Sierra and Amazon of Ecuador and were kept in tubes with 96% ethyl alcohol. After that, all specimens were separated into immatures, males and females and were identified using their morphological characters. RESULTS: This study records Amblyomma coelebs Neumann, 1899, Amblyomma longirostre (Koch, 1844) Neumann, 1905 and Amblyomma varium Koch, 1844 for the first time in Ecuador. Thus, the genus Amblyomma is currently represented by 22 species. In addition, their hosts, distribution, and importance are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the diversity of ticks that wildlife possesses, its interrelation with the domestic fauna, and the possible pathogens that could be transmitting could significantly contribute to wildlife's conservation.
PURPOSE: In Ecuador, knowledge of the diversity and geographic distribution of ticks, as well as their importance as vectors, is scarce. Within the family Ixodidae, the genus Amblyomma is the most diverse and parasitizes wild and domestic animals. This genus is represented by 19 species in Ecuador, 12 of which occur in the continental territory and 7 in the Galapagos Islands. In this way, the objective of this work was to update the diversity of ticks reported for Ecuador on wild and domestic animals. METHODS: The specimens were collected manually on mammals and birds, in four localities belonging to the Sierra and Amazon of Ecuador and were kept in tubes with 96% ethyl alcohol. After that, all specimens were separated into immatures, males and females and were identified using their morphological characters. RESULTS: This study records Amblyomma coelebs Neumann, 1899, Amblyomma longirostre (Koch, 1844) Neumann, 1905 and Amblyomma varium Koch, 1844 for the first time in Ecuador. Thus, the genus Amblyomma is currently represented by 22 species. In addition, their hosts, distribution, and importance are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the diversity of ticks that wildlife possesses, its interrelation with the domestic fauna, and the possible pathogens that could be transmitting could significantly contribute to wildlife's conservation.