Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data.

Anaplasmataceae agents are obligatory intracellular Gram-negative α-proteobacteria that are transmitted mostly by arthropod vectors. Although mammals of the Superorder Xenarthra (sloths, anteaters, and armadillos) have been implicated as reservoirs for several zoonotic agents, only few studies have sought to detect Anaplasmataceae agents in this group of mammals. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and genetic diversity ofAnaplasmaspp. andEhrlichiaspp. in blood and spleen samples of free-living Xenarthra from four different states in Brazil (São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia, and Pará). Nested and conventional PCR screening assays were performed to detect therrsanddsbgenes ofAnaplasmaspp. andEhrlichiaspp., respectively. The assays were positive in 27.57% (91/330) of theAnaplasmaspp. and 24.54% (81/330) of theEhrlichiaspp. Of the 91 positiveAnaplasmaspp. samples, 56.04% were positive in a conventional PCR assay targeting the 23S–5S intergenic region. Phylogenetic and distance analyses based on therrsgene allocatedAnaplasmasequences from sloths captured in Rondônia and Pará states in a single clade, which was closely related to theA. marginale,A. ovis,andA. capraclades. The sequences detected in southern anteaters from São Paulo were allocated in a clade closely related to sequences ofAnaplasmaspp. detected inNasua nasua,Leopardus pardalis, andCerdocyon thousin Brazil. These sequences were positioned close toA. odocoileisequences. Genotype analysis corroborated previous findings and demonstrated the circulation of two distinctAnaplasmagenotypes in animals from north and southeast Brazil. The first genotype was new. The second was previously detected inN. nasuain Mato Grosso do Sul state. The intergenic region analyses also demonstrated two distinct genotypes ofAnaplasma. The sequences detected in Xenarthra from Pará and Rondônia states were closely related to those inA. marginale,A. ovis,andA. capra.Anaplasmaspp. sequences detected in Xenarthra from São Paulo and were allocated close to those inA. phagocytophilum. The analyses based on thedsbgene grouped theEhrlichiaspp. sequences with sequences ofE. canis(São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Pará) andE. minasensis(Rondônia and Pará). The data indicate the occurrence ofE. canisandE. minasensisand two possible newCandidatusspecies ofAnaplasmaspp. in free-living mammals of the Superorder Xenarthra in Brazil.

The superorder Xenarthra consists of sloths, anteaters and armadillos, mammals originated from South America and currently distributed from the south of North America to the south of South America. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in blood and spleen samples from free‐living Xenarthra mammals in the states of São Paulo (SP), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Rondônia (RO) and Pará (PA). Based on a quantitative real‐time PCR assay (qPCR), a Bartonella spp. nuoG gene fragment was detected in 1.51% (5/330) of the samples: 4 six‐banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus) sampled in the MS and 1 southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) sampled in the PA. Eight sequences (5 ftsZ, 2 gltA and 1 rpoB) were obtained in the conventional PCR assays. In both phylogenetic analyses based on Bayesian and distance (Splistree) methods, the obtained ftsZ, gltA and rpoB sequences were positioned in a distinct clade, but related to B. washoensis. The analysis of Splitstree and genotype networks based on B. washoensis sequences from several hosts from various localities of the world showed that the sequences of the present study were allocated in a group separated from the other sequences, indicating that they probably originated from median‐vectors and large numbers of mutational events. Additionally, the analyses performed by BLAST showed low percentages of identities of the sequences obtained in the present study when compared to those previously deposited in GenBank. Therefore, we propose a new Candidatus to Bartonella occurring in Xenarthra in Brazil. The present study was the first to report the occurrence of Bartonella sp. in mammals of the superorder Xenarthra in the world and it was the first to describe a new Candidatus related to B. washoensis in Brazil.

Wild species are susceptible to several typical domestic animal pathogens, and the increasingly close contact between these groups is a predictive factor for disease exposure. Some viruses are important and old‐known, and others are emerging or reemerging for domestic carnivorans and have been identified as threats to the conservation of wild mammals. The purpose of the study was to investigate the occurrence of bocaparvoviruses (BoVs, Parvoviridae family, Parvovirinae subfamily, Bocaparvovirus genus), parvoviruses (Parvoviridae family, Parvovirinae subfamily, Protoparvovirus genus, Protoparvovirus carnivoran1), hepadnaviruses (Hepadnaviridae family), coronaviruses (Coronaviridae family, Orthocoronavirinae subfamily), paramyxoviruses (Paramyxoviridae family) and canine distemper virus (Orthoparamyxovirinae subfamily, Morbillivirus genus, Morbillivirus canis), poxviruses (Poxviridae family), feline herpesvirus (Orthoherpesviridae family, Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, Varicellovirus genus, Varicellovirus felidalpha1), feline calicivirus (Caliciviridae family, Vesivirus genus, FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (Retroviridae family, Orthoretrovirinae subfamily, Lentivirus genus, FIV), feline leukemia virus (Retroviridae family, Orthoretrovirinae subfamily, Gammaretrovirus genus, FeLV), and gammaherpesviruses (Orthoherpesviridae family, Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily) in wild carnivorans. A total of 30 biological samples from the families Canidae, Felidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, and Procyonidae were evaluated. All animals were victims of vehicular collisions in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Canine parvovirus (CPV‐2) DNA was detected in the spleen of a bush dog (Speothos venaticus), a jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi), and a jaguar (Panthera onca), FeLV proviral DNA was found in the spleen of an ocelot (Leopardus pardalis); while CDV RNA was detected in the liver of a jaguarundi. Phylogenetic analysis carried out with the partial sequence of the CPV‐2 VP2 gene and the U3 (LTR) gag region of FeLV showed 100% identity with strains obtained from domestic dogs and cats, respectively. The approximation between wild and domestic animals favors the transmission of pathogens, especially between phylogenetically close species, such as members of the Canidae and Felidae families. Identification of the DNA and RNA of potentially fatal viruses such as CPV‐2, FeLV, and CDV in four wilds endangered to extinction and understudied species contributes to our understanding of the pathogens circulating in this free‐ranging and vulnerable population.