Rhinella major MULLER & HELMICH, 1936 (ANURA: BUFONIDAE): NEW HOST OF Amblyomma argentinae NEUMANN, 1905 (ACARI: IXODIDAE) IN THE DRY CHACO OF ARGENTINA

Abstract

During herpetofauna monitoring in Misión Nueva Pompeya locality, Chaco province, Argentina, an adult individual of the toad Rhinella major was captured. We examined the specimen and found a tick attached to the ventral surface of its body. The tick was identified as a nymph of Amblyomma argentinae, an ectoparasite considered specific to reptiles. This finding is the first record of this parasite-host association, and increases the host range of A. argentinae up to 16 species.