First record of the spinose ear tick (Otobius megnini) on the Baird’s tapir
2018
Pérez Flores, Jonathan | González Solís, David
Otobius megnini is a cosmopolitan soft tick that parasitizes humans, as well as domestic and wild mammals. The larval and nymphal stages are commonly parasites and feed on the ear canal, while the adult stage (non-parasitic) is free-living. Eight nymphs of different sizes and stages were collected from the ears of an adult Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from Quintana Roo, Mexico. This is the first report of O. megnini parasitizing a species of the genus Tapirus. The presence of O. megnini in the most touristic region of Mexico is of sanitary importance, since it is a potential vector of zoonotic diseases (Q and spotted fevers) and increases the risk of infection in people in close contact with wild and domestic mammals or practising outdoor activities.
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