Identification of ectoparasites from an Lesser anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla), Lara State, Venezuela

Objectives. Identify species of ectoparasites found naturally parasitizing an anteater, which was found dying on the roadside close to Bobare Village, State of Lara, Venezuela. Materials and methods. A dead anteater was brought to the anatomy Lab of the Decanato de Ciencias Veterinarias (DCV), Universidad Centroccidental “Lisandro Alvarado” (UCLA) for taxidermic purposes. First, all the skin and hairy areas of the animal were manually checked looking for ectoparasites; secondly, all detected specimens were collected, and placed in vials containing a solution of isopropilic alcohol 70°. Following this procedure, the vials were taken to the Veterinary Parasitology Laboratory at DCV-UCLA to accomplish the taxonomic identification under a stereoscopic microscope, and with taxonomic keys. Results. Two specimens of arthropods were found, the first one was a male tick identified as Amblyomma nodosum, and the other one was a female flea of the genera Pulex irritans Conclusions. These ectoparasites have been reported as natural parasites of other mammals, and among them the anteaters have been often found parasitized by these arthropods. In Venezuela this is the first case of a Pulex irritans infecting Tamandua tetradactyla.