Co-parasitism by chigger mites (Trombidiformes: Leeuwenhoekiidae) and soft ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae) in Brazilian anurans, with the description of a new Hannemania species.
Pesenato Isabella Pereira IP, Bassini-Silva Ricardo R, Taucci Pedro Paulo Goulart PPG, Pupin Nadya Carolina NC et al.
Bokermannohyla frogs comprise species distributed across different Brazilian biomes, several of which are currently listed as endangered species. These anurans host a diversity of parasites that may negatively affect their survival. Several tick species of the family Argasidae and chigger mites of the family Leeuwenhoekiidae exhibit host specificity toward this group. Here, we report a case of co-parasitism by argasid ticks and chigger mites in this frog genus collected in the Bahia State, Brazil, and describe a new species of Hannemania, H. diamantinensis sp. nov. Anurans were captured in Chapada Diamantina National Park, and ectoparasites were collected and identified using morphological methods. Ticks were identified as Ornithodoros saraivai, while chigger mites correspond to a new species. This represents the first record of O. saraivai in Bahia State, and the description of a new Hannemania species increases the number of Brazilian known species to eight.