Review of the chigger genus Quadraseta Brennan, 1970 (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) from Brazil

• Grant number: 21/01964-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2021
• End date: May 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Fernando de Castro Jacinavicius
• Grantee: Rafaela Luiza Arbex
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chiggers is the popular name for the larval stage of mites in the family Trombiculidae s. l., they parasitize vertebrates and can cause a skin reaction in the host, known as trombiculiasis. In the Asia-Pacific region, some species of this family are vectors of tsutsugamushi, a human rickettsiosis, caused by the bacterium Orientia tsusugamushi. In addition to this bacterium, the presence of some pathogens (Borrelia, Coxiella, Hepatozoon and Rickettsia) was detected in chigger mites in different places around the world. For Brazil, Rickettsia felis-like was detected in Blankaartia sinnamaryi collected from birds, as well as Rickettsia sp. found in three species of chiggers collected from rodents in the state of São Paulo. In the Neotropical region, chiggers are poorly studied and there are gaps in the taxonomy, biodiversity and host-associations. The present study proposes, based on a taxonomic study, to verify the distribution of species of the genus Quadraseta Brennan, 1970 that occur in Brazil. In addition, descriptions and redescriptions of the species will be carried out. Also, images of Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and illustrations of the examined specimens will be provided. Considering the lack of knowledge about the distribution of species that occur in this country of continental dimensions, and that there are indications of the possibility of larvae participating in the transmission of pathogens, the present study becomes relevant.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

HUANG-BASTOS, MATHEUS; BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; ARBEX, RAFAELA LUIZA; WELBOURN, CAL; OCHOA, RON; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES. Contribution to the knowledge of Quadraseta pazca (Brennan and Jones, 1964) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae), including new host-association and locality records. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, v. 48, n. 4-5, p. 6-pg., 2022-06-17. (17/01416-7, 20/12444-4, 19/19853-0, 18/24667-8, 20/11755-6, 21/01964-0)

HUANG-BASTOS, MATHEUS; ARBEX, RAFAELA LUIZA; BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; WELBOURN, CAL; OCHOA, RON; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES. Synonymy of Quadraseta brennani Goff & Whitaker, 1984 with Quadraseta antillarum (Brennan, 1967) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae). SYSTEMATIC AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY, v. 27, n. 4, p. 10-pg., 2022-04-01. (17/01416-7, 19/19853-0, 21/01964-0, 18/24667-8, 20/11755-6, 20/12444-4)