ABSTRACT
Ectoparasites were examined in 30 Didelphis albiventris marsupials, for studying their ixodids, in the county of Pelotas and nearby areas, southern Rio Grande do Sul, in the period 2001-2003. The ticks removed from the external surface of the animals were conserved in ethylic alcohol 70°GL and identified under a stereomicroscope, according s to pecific keys. From all animals examined, 43.33% were infested with Ixodes loricatus, Amblyomma aureolatum and Amblyomma sp. (nymphs), with prevalences of 36.7%, 3.3% and 6.7%, respectively. A. aureolatum and I. loricatus were registered for the first time parasitizing D. albiventris inthesestate. I. loricatus was the tick with the highest prevalence on D. albiventris, with a predominance of adult forms. D. albiventris was the only species found in the region studied.
KEY WORDS
Ixodes loricatus
;
Amblyomma aureolatum
;
Didelphis albiventris
; ectoparasites; ticks; opossum