Additional information on ticks (Ixodidae) infesting birds in Atlantic Forest fragments in State of Paraná, South Brazil

Abstract

Wild birds have an important role in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases, serving as reservoirs for some tick-borne diseases and in the maintenance and dispersion of ticks. During the years of 1999, 2000 and 2001, birds were captured in three Atlantic forest fragments of the state of Paraná. Overall, 1,122 bird specimens of 36 species were captured. Of these, 80 (7.1% prevalence) birds were parasitized by ticks, comprising females of Ixodes paranaensis Barros-Battesti, Arzua, Pichorim & Keirans, and immature stages of Amblyomma calcaratum Neumann, Amblyomma longirostre (Koch), Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas), Amblyomma ovale Koch, and Amblyomma parkeri Fonseca & Aragão. Two nymphs were identified as Amblyomma sp., although their external morphology was very similar to the A. parkeri nymph. This study provides new tick-host records for the state of Paraná and for Brazil.