148 J. Parasitol., 94(1), 2008, pp. 148–151  American Society of Parasitologists 2008 FIRST RECORD OF TRYPANOSOMA CHATTONI IN BRAZIL AND OCCURRENCE OF OTHER TRYPANOSOMA SPECIES IN BRAZILIAN FROGS (ANURA, LEPTODACTYLIDAE) M. Lemos, D. H. Morais*, V. T. Carvalho†, and M. D’Agosto‡ Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Cie ˆ ncias Biolo ´ gicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universita ´ rio, Martelos, 36.036-330, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. e-mail: marta.dagosto@ufjf.edu.br ABSTRACT: The present study provides the first record of Trypanosoma chattoni Mathis and Leger, 1911, in a new host, Lep- todactylus fuscus Schneider, 1799 (Anura, Leptodactylidae), and the occurrence of Trypanosoma rotatorium–like species in Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei, 1950. The anurans were captured in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and blood smears were examined for the presence of hemoparasites. The Trypanosoma rotatorium–like species in this study refers to a short-bodied trypomastigote that has a conspicuous undulating membrane but lacks a free flagellum; T. chattoni refers to a monomorphic parasite that has a rounded body, a kinetoplast adjacent to the nucleus, and a short flagellum. Anuran trypanosomes have a wide geographical distribution and have been described from many countries (Billet, 1904; Bouet, 1909; Feng and Chung, 1940; Mackerras and Mackerras, 1961; Bardsley and Harmsen, 1973; Guerrero and Ayala, 1977; Barta et al., 1989; Martin and Desser, 1990; Misra and Chandra, 1995). According to Desser (2001), there are more than 70 spe- cies of Trypanosoma that parasitize anurans, although the va- lidity of several species is questioned because some may be pleiomorphic. To date, most trypanosomes of amphibians have been found in species of Rana (Anura, Ranidae) and Bufo (An- ura, Bufonidae) in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia (Brumpt, 1928; Fantham et al., 1942; Ruiz and Alfaro, 1958; Diamond, 1965; Bardsley and Harmsen, 1973; Werner and Wal- ewski, 1976; Miyata, 1978; Jones and Woo, 1986; Werner, 1993; Desser, 2001; Z ˇ ic ˇkus, 2002). In Brazil, trypanosomes have been recorded by Marchoux and Salimbeni (1907) in hy- lids, and by Carini (1907), Machado (1911), Gonc ¸alves da Cos- ta and Silva (1969), Pessoa (1969), Pereira et al. (1973), and Lemos et al. (2004) in leptodactylids (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Trypanosoma rotatorium (Mayer, 1843) is a polymorphic species with a wide geographical distribution, while T. chattoni Mathis and Leger, 1911, is a monomorphic species that is found in Asia, Europe, and the Americas (Diamond, 1965; Bardsley and Harmsen, 1973; Jones and Woo, 1986; Martin et al., 2002). The purpose of the present study is to morphologically and morphometrically characterize the species of Trypanosoma found in Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei, 1950, and Leptodacty- lus fuscus Schneider, 1799, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is also an opportunity to record the occurrence of T. chattoni in a new host, Leptodactylus fuscus Schneider, 1799 (Lepto- dactylidae). The study was conducted as part of a fauna survey and rescue operation, accomplished in the vicinity of the Gua- pore ´ Hydroelectric Power Station, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS During the fauna rescue activities at the Guapore ´ Hydroelectric Pow- er Station (150732S, 585716W) at the boundary between the towns Received 11 October 2006; revised 8 November 2006, 3 July 2007; accepted 7 July 2007. * Instituto de Cie ˆncias Biolo ´gicas, Universidade Federal do Mato Gros- so, Campus Universita ´rio, Coxipo, CEP 78.060-900, Cuiaba ´, Mato Grosso, Brazil. † Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazo ˆnia, Campus Universita ´rio II, Aleixo, CEP 69011-970, Manaus, Amazo ˆnia, Brazil. ‡ To whom correspondence should be addressed. of Vale de Sa ˜o Domingos, Pontes, and Lacerda, Mato Grosso, Brazil, leptodactylid anurans were captured under permits nos. 011/02, 030/02, and 001/UHE Guapore ´ from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). Blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture. The trypanosomes found were photographed using a 100 objective and ocular 10 magnification in Olympickus BX40. Data were analyzed statistically with the Mann–Whitney U-tests and the Spearman correlation. P values were considered to be significant when equal to, or less than, 0.05. RESULTS Trypanosoma rotatorium–like species Description Diagnosis: Various morphometric parameters are given in Table I. The body is short and round and lacks a free flagellum. The nucleus is oval and elongate; it is circled by a lightly stained area, situated in posterior end of body (IN  1); and it is peripheral and close to undulating membrane (Fig. 1). A round kinetoplast is pink in color, located near nucleus, and encircled by lighter stained area. The cytoplasm is granular, with vacuoles along cytoplasmic extension. Some individuals have densely pigmented cytoplasm and light canals inside cel- lular cytoplasm (Fig. 1). An undulating membrane is conspic- uous, with 3 or 4 undulations (Figs. 2, 3). Statistical analysis, i.e., Spearman correlation tests, of morphometric data from the T. rotatorium–like species showed that body length and width increase with increasing nucleus length and width, (r s  0.67 and P  0.003) and (r s  0.69 and P  0.003), respectively. Taxonomic summary Host: Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei, 1950, family Leptodac- tylidae. Type locality: Vicinity of Sa ˜o Domingos, Pontes, and Lac- erda, Mato Grosso, Brazil (150732S, 585716W). Prevalence in type locality: 50% of analyzed hosts. Date of collection: November 2005. Specimens deposited: Trypanosoma rotatorium–like species. The specimens were deposited in the Protozoological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (PCIOC), Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, slide number series B 2007-050. Habitat: Bloodstream of L. chaquensis. Remarks The Trypanosoma rotatorium–like species observed in this study (Figs. 1–3) possesses a round shape, lacks a free flagel-