Associação entre opiliões Gonyleptes fragilis (Arachnida: Opiliones) e ácaros Leptus (Arachnida: Acari) em fragmentos da Mata Atlântica: Biologia e sazonalidade
Data
2021-08-10
Autores
Oliveira, Ezio Aquino de [UNIFESP]
Orientadores
Bragagnolo, Cibele [UNIFESP]
Tipo
Trabalho de conclusão de curso de graduação
Título da Revista
ISSN da Revista
Título de Volume
Resumo
As relações simbióticas são associações onde duas ou mais espécies vivem intimamente associadas, incluindo parasitismo, forese, mutualismo, entre outras. Nos ácaros uma das associações mais comuns ocorre entre larvas do gênero cosmopolita Leptus spp. (Erythraeidae) e diversos grupos de artrópodes. Entretanto, para o Brasil, estes relatos são escassos. No presente estudo, registramos o número de larvas de ácaros eritraeídeos ectoparasitas do gênero Leptus sp. encontrados associados a opiliões da espécie Gonyleptes fragilis (Gonyleptidae) em uma área de Mata Atlântica (Cubatão, São Paulo, Brasil), coletados ao longo de um ano, entre as quatro estações do ano e verificamos se há algum padrão sazonal na ocorrência de parasitismo. Foram registradas 405 larvas de ácaros associadas a 152 indivíduos de opiliões. A intensidade média de infestação (número de ácaros por indivíduo) variou de 0,3 a 11,3 com intensidade máxima observada de 20 ácaros/indivíduo. Não houve relação entre o sexo do opilião e a densidade de ácaros encontrada (t= 0,13, p=0,71). Em relação à sazonalidade, houve diferenças entre a prevalência de infestação e a estação do ano (F=4,94; p<0,01), sendo a infestação maior no outono em relação ao verão e primavera (p≤0,05). Quanto à localização, a maioria dos ácaros (262 dos 405, representando 67% do total) foram encontrados na região mediana do escudo dorsal, próximo a armação mediana da área III. Este estudo fornece a primeira descrição da variação sazonal na infestação de ácaros em opiliões na Mata Atlântica brasileira.
Symbiotic relationships are associations where two or more species live closely associated, including parasitism, phoresis, mutualism, among others. In mites one of the most common associations occurs between larvae of the cosmopolitan genus Leptus spp. (Erythraeidae) and several groups of arthropods. However, for Brazil, these reports are scarce. In the present study, we recorded the number of ectoparasitic erythraeid mite larvae of the genus Leptus sp. found associated with opilions of the species Gonyleptes fragilis (Gonyleptidae) in an area of Atlantic Forest (Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil), collected over one year, among the four seasons of the year and verified whether there is any seasonal pattern in the occurrence of parasitism. We recorded 405 mite larvae associated with 152 opilion individuals. Mean infestation intensity (number of mites per individual) ranged from 0.3 to 11.3 with maximum observed intensity of 20 mites/individual. There was no relationship between opilion sex and the mite density found (t=0.13, p=0.71). Regarding seasonality, there were differences between infestation prevalence and season (F=4.94; p<0.01), with infestation being higher in autumn compared to summer and spring (p≤0.05). As for location, most mites (262 of 405, representing 67% of the total) were found in the median region of the dorsal shield, near the median frame of area III. This study provides the first description of seasonal variation in mite infestation in opilions in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Symbiotic relationships are associations where two or more species live closely associated, including parasitism, phoresis, mutualism, among others. In mites one of the most common associations occurs between larvae of the cosmopolitan genus Leptus spp. (Erythraeidae) and several groups of arthropods. However, for Brazil, these reports are scarce. In the present study, we recorded the number of ectoparasitic erythraeid mite larvae of the genus Leptus sp. found associated with opilions of the species Gonyleptes fragilis (Gonyleptidae) in an area of Atlantic Forest (Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil), collected over one year, among the four seasons of the year and verified whether there is any seasonal pattern in the occurrence of parasitism. We recorded 405 mite larvae associated with 152 opilion individuals. Mean infestation intensity (number of mites per individual) ranged from 0.3 to 11.3 with maximum observed intensity of 20 mites/individual. There was no relationship between opilion sex and the mite density found (t=0.13, p=0.71). Regarding seasonality, there were differences between infestation prevalence and season (F=4.94; p<0.01), with infestation being higher in autumn compared to summer and spring (p≤0.05). As for location, most mites (262 of 405, representing 67% of the total) were found in the median region of the dorsal shield, near the median frame of area III. This study provides the first description of seasonal variation in mite infestation in opilions in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.