Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 287-290 (2015) (published online on 18 May 2015) Brief description of myiasis cases in three amphibian species from Atlantic Forest located in the central region of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil Felipe Carvalho de Souza-Pinto1,*, Izabella Fernandes França2 and Cátia Antunes de Mello-Patiu2 Endoparatism in amphibians is widely observed and They were captured in border areas of seasonal several cases have been described in literature (Bursey semideciduous forest with a permanent stream, and DeWolf, 1998; Bolek and Coggins, 1998; Ghazi and permanent pond and temporary puddles. Noorun-Nisa, 2005; Luque et al., 2005; Van Sluys et al., Specimens were found resting and shortly after capture 2006; Santos et al., 2008; Nworah and Olorunfemi, 2011; we perceived some round skin lesions (x¯ Diameter = Gonzalez et al., 2012; Santos et al., 2013; González & 0.55 mm, SD = 0.1359, range = 0.42 to 0.74, N = 5) with Hamann, 2014); however, there are just few reports of infestation of larvae (Figure 1). ectoparasites, wich are restricted to cases of parasitism The larvae were collected using a pair of iris by ticks (Sincok and Brum, 1997; Dantas-Torres et tweezers and placed inethanol (Figure 2). After the al., 2008), leeches (Loebmann et al., 2008) and some larval removal and treatment with aqueous Polyvinyl records of myiasis (Bolek and Coggins, 2002; Bolek Pyrrolidone Iodine to avoid infection, two individuals and Javony, 2004; Hoskin and McCallum, 2007; Eaton were reintroduced into the local habitat. The other three et al., 2008; Medina et al., 2009; Travers and Townsend, individuals captured did not survive this aforementioned 2010). In Brazil,only six cases of myiasis have been reported (Lopes, 1981; Souza et al., 1989; Eizemberg et al., 2008; Mello-Patiu and Luna-Dias, 2010; Carvalho- Filho et al,. 2010; Oliveira et al., 2012). Myiasis is defined as a condition caused by dipterous larvae that can invade the host’s tissue seeking to complete their development while they feed on its tissue (Pierce, 1981; Rey 1991, Linhares, 2000). In January/2011, during daytime transects in field work in Sabará, MG, Brazil, five specimens of the class Amphibia were found parasitized by larvae of Diptera. Three of them were individuals of Rhinella schneideri(Werner, 1894), one of Scinax fuscovarius(Lutz, 1925) and one of Scinax gr. ruber. 1 Biocev Meio Ambiente, Rua Adolfo Radice 320, Mangabeiras CEP 30315-050, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. 2 Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Departamento de Entomologia, Quinta da Boa Vista, 20940- 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Figure 1. Specimen of Rhinella pombali with infestation of * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] Diptera larvae. 288 Felipe Carvalho de Souza-Pinto et al. The decomposition process in vertebrates made by larvae from this specific group is also well known (Lopes, 1973; Monteiro-Filho and Penereiro, 1987; Salviano, 1996; Moura et al., 1997; Carvalho et al., 2000; Carvalho and Linhares, 2001); however, its parasitic action is small whencompared to other families of Diptera (Stevens et al., 2006) and yet poorly studied, especially for amphibians (Crump and Pounds, 1985; Hagman et al., 2005; Eizemberg et al., 2008; Medina et al,. 2009; Mello-Patiu and Luna-Dias, 2010). Interestingly, all individuals were captured during the daylight, even though they have nocturnal behavior, and all of them showed signs of activity. From this fact we can assume that the presence of the larvae may change their habits, probably causing irritation. As argued by Medina et al. (2009) it is presumable that larvae have Figure 2. Diptera larvae being removed from injury on Scinax parasitized specimens during daytime, when amphibian gr. ruber. species are less active and the risk of flies being preyed is reduced. According to Stevens et al. (2006) Sarcophagidae larvae have lower host-specificity, hence showing a pattern of a short period of larval feeding generating superficial or cutaneous wounds, and relatively high procedure and were fixed in a 10% formalin solution levels of pathogenicity. Nonetheless, after analysis and subsequently kept in a 70% ethanol solution. The conducted in collected individuals of S. fuscovarius, collected individuals were depositedin the scientific internal larvae were found mostly in tissues and viscera collection of the Herpetology Museum of Natural reaching even muscles of the femoral region, though the Sciences of PUC Minas in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil abscesses were located near the axillary region which (MCNAM 17665, MCNAM 17666, MCNAM 17667). The larvae were identified as belonging to the family stands as a pattern usually found in larvae of Oestridae. Sarcophagidae (Figure 3). However, due to the larval However that may be related to the small size of the stage and the fixation process which interrupted their host. In individuals of R. schneideri, abscesses were development, it was not possible to identify them to located near the paratoid glands and in all individuals, species level. This family has a worldwide distribution larvae were collected below glands and within them, (Pape, 1996) occurring mainly in the tropics (Shewell, demonstrating the resistance of the larvae to toxins 1987; Pape, 1996). present in these areas. This is the first record of parasitism by larvae of Sarcophagidae documented for the genus Scinax and the first record of this kind of interaction between these genus and flies for the state of Minas Gerais. Myiasis cases are poorly documented due to the difficulty of recording the phenomenon due to the quick action of parasites (Bolek and Coggins, 2002; Bolek and Janovy, 2004; Mello-Patiu and Luna-Dias, 2010). For further works or even new records, we suggest to use the technique indicated by Mello-Patiu and Luna- Dias (2010), which consists to capture larvae after they leave hosts, and place them in a container with a soil sample to allowfurther development, metamorphosis Figure 3. Sarcophagidae larvae removed from injury on and subsequently identification at species level of the Rhinella schneideri. imagos. Brief description of Myiasis cases in three amphibian species from Brazil 289 Other authors also fix larvae when they are still Eizemberg, R., Sabagh, L.T., Mello, R.S. (2008): First record of immature.This procedure hinders an accurate species myiasis in Aplastodiscus arildae (Anura: Hylidae) by Notochaeta identification of larvae. Due to the large number of bufonivora (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in the Neotropical area. Parasitology Research 102: 329–331. species in the Sarcophagidae family, difficulty of Ghazi, R.R., Noorun-Nisa, K.A. (2005):Two new species of taxonomic identification and scarce knowledge, it helminth parasites from frog (Rana tigrinaDaudin).Pakistan is relevant to study the adult stages of these larvae to Journal of Zoology37(2): 107-111. confirm the species. Gonzalez, C.E., Hamann, M.I., Salgado, C. (2012) Study of Helminth Parasites of Amphibians by Scanning Electron Acknowledgements. We thank Dr. Matthew Bolek, Dr. Brian Microscopy. In: Scanning Electron Microscopy, p. 267-294. Eaton and Dr. Fred Kraus for help and support, the Instituto Kazmiruk, V., Ed, Manhattan, InTech. Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis González C.E., M.I. Hamann. 2014. Schrankiana chacoensis sp. (IBAMA) for scientific collection permit, thescientific collection nov. 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