Ultrastructure of Proechinophthirus zumpti (Anoplura, Echinophthiriidae) by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Vol. 97(6): 813-818, September 2002

Dolores del Carmen Castro/⁺, Mariano Damian Romero*, Marcos Dreon

Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo La Plata, Paseo del Bosque, s/n, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina *Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales, Lorenzo Scaglia, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The ultrastructure of Proechinophthirus zumpti Werneck, 1955, mainly the external chorionic features of the egg, is described through electronic microscopy techniques. This species was first cited in Argentina, infesting Arctocephalus australis (Zimmermann, 1873). The morphological adaptations of adults and nymphs are described in both species of Proechinophthirus parasitic on Otariidae: P. fluctus (Ferris, 1916) and P. zumpti.

Key words: Proechinophthirus - Anoplura - ultrastructure - Echinopthtiriidae - Otariidae

Anoplura (Phthiraptera) parasitic on Otariidae (Carnivora) are so far represented by two genus of the Family Echinophthiriidae: Antarctophthirus Enderlein, 1906 and Proechinophthirus Ewing, 1923. The first one includes two species: A. callorhini (Osborn, 1899) found at the north of the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, and A. microchir (Trovessart & Neumann, 1888) of Antartic distribution. The second is represented by two species: P. fluctus with the same distribution as A. callorhini, and P. zumpti whose distribution is restricted to Southern Africa (Durden & Musser 1994). In this paper, P. zumpti is cited for the first time in Argentina enlarging its distribution, and Arctocephalus australis is mentioned for the first time as its host. The ultrastructure of the egg of this species is described, as well as the morphological ultrastructural adaptations of adults and nymphs. Both species of the genus Proechinophthirus parasitic on Otariidae are compared.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

REFERENCES

Figs. 1-4 | Figs. 5-8 | Fig. 9-12 | Figs. 13-14 | Fig. 15-17 | Figs. 18-19

⁺Corresponding author. Fax: +54-221-4257.527. E-mail: castrodreon@Impsat1.com.ar. and castrodreon@Lpsat.com

Received 7 November 2001

Accepted 3 May 2002