Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) within various phytophysiognomies of a Cerrado reserve in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Cerrado biome, the South American savannah, covers about 2 million km(2) and is very rich in endemic species but threatened by agriculture. In this report free-living tick species are presented, and their seasonal and relative distribution within the various phytophysiognomies in a small Cerrado reserve in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Overall 2,694 free-living ticks were found during a 2 years sampling period with CO(2) traps and cloth dragging. Of these, 73.5% were Amblyomma cajennense and 0.6% Amblyomma dubitatum. All other ticks (25.9%) were retained as Amblyomma spp. Adults of A. cajennense peaked in spring, the nymphs in winter of both years. Amblyomma larval clusters were found in autumn and winter. Adult ticks (46.7%) and nymphs (39.5%) were most often found in woodlands, whereas most larval clusters were found in valley-side marshes (39%). Amblyomma cajennense, Anocentor nitens, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplusand Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were found on domestic animals from neighboring properties. Search for Rickettsia in the hemolymph of 497 A. cajennense and one A. dubitatum ticks yielded negative results. Results confirmed earlier reports on the overwhelming prevalence of A. cajennense ticks in the Cerrado biome of Brazil and added information to habitat preferences of this tick species, a major vector in Brazil of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Origem e distribuição das artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal em aves (Gallus gallus) da linhagem Redbro Plumé / Origins and distributions of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in fowls (Gallus gallus) from Redbro Plumé lineage

As artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal são vasos originados da aorta descendente e responsáveis pela irrigação e nutrição de grande parte do aparelho digestório das aves. Foram utilizados 30 exemplares da espécie Gallus gallus linhagem Redbro Plumé obtidos de mortes naturais e com idade aproximada de 7-8 semanas. O sistema vascular arterial foi injetado com solução aquosa de Neoprene Látex “450” a 50%, via artéria isquiática direita. As aves foram dissecadas após 48 horas de fixação em solução aquosa de formol a 10%. Através dos resultados concluiu-se que a artéria mesentérica cranial emitiu uma artéria ileocecal, contendo de 8 a 18 ramos; 14 a 21 artérias jejunais e 11 a 22 artérias ileais. Com relação à artéria mesentérica caudal, observou-se a emissão de um ramo cranial, com 3 a 9 ramos e, um ramo caudal, com 1 a 3 ramos. Notou-se que em alguns casos o ramo cranial da artéria mesentérica caudal sofreu anastomose com a artéria ileocecal. A artéria mesentérica cranial supriu a maior parte do intestino delgado e cecos e, a artéria mesentérica caudal irrigou o reto e a cloaca, e em alguns casos a porção final do íleo, cecos e bolsa cloacal.

The cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries are important vessels wich responds for the main irrigation of the digestive apparatus in fowls. 30 fowls Gallus gallus lineage Redbro Plumé, ranging 7-8 weeks of age, were used. Their vascular apparatus were stained with a 50% aqueous solution of Neoprene Latex “450”, through the right ischiatic artery, and the fowls were fixed during 48h in a 10% formaline solution. Our results showed that the cranial mesenteric artery emits one ileoceal artery, containing 3 to 9 branches, 14 to 21 jejunal arteries and 11 to 22 ileal arteries. About the caudal mesenteric artery, we observed one cranial branch, containing 3-9 branches and one caudal branch, containing 1-3 branches. We also observed that the cranial branch of the caudal mesenteric artery could be in anastomosis with the ileocecal artery. In resume, in this work we showed that the cranial mesenteric artery irrigates the largest part of the small intestine and of the cecum, and the caudal mesenteric artery irrigates the rectum and the cloaca, and sometimes the final portion of the ileum, the cecum and the cloacal sac, as well.