Amblyomma auricularium (Acari: Ixodidae): underwater survival of the non-parasitic phase of feeding females

Sá-Hungaro, Iwine Joyce Barbosa de; Raia, Vanessa de Almeida; Pinheiro, Michele da Costa; Ribeiro, Carla Carolina Dias Uzedo; Famadas, Kátia Maria

doi:10.1590/s1984-29612014043

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Much evidence indicates that ticks can survive submersion in fresh water, for extended periods of up to 15 d (although reports also exist of survival underwater for several months; MacLeod 1935; Murray and Vestjens 1967;Smith 1973;Paula et al 2000;Carroll 2003;Louzada and Daemon 2003;Barrett et al 2009;Fielden et al 2011;Giannelli et al 2012;Müeller 2012;Sá-Hungaro et al 2014). We found that little penguin ticks are also capable of surviving for at least 48 h submerged in seawater.…”

Section: Ticks On the Body Surfacementioning

confidence: 47%

“…10% that of spiders and some insects; Lighton and Fielden 1995) and can survive longer than any other arthropod without food or water (Needham and Teel 1991;Lighton and Fielden 1995). Finally, a growing body of evidence suggests that ticks are capable of surviving in fresh water for days to weeks, depending on the species (Murray and Vestjens 1967;Fielden et al 2011;Giannelli et al 2012;Sá-Hungaro et al 2014). Whether these characteristics might enable ticks to survive at sea and regularly at depth has not been explored, although some morphological assessments have suggested that the latter is unlikely (Pugh 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Can a Terrestrial Ectoparasite Disperse with Its Marine Host?

Moon

Aitkenhead

Fraser

et al. 2019

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One of the most extreme examples of parasite adaptation comes from terrestrial ectoparasites exploiting marine hosts. Despite the ubiquity of such ectoparasitism and its ecological and evolutionary importance, investigations of the responses of ectoparasites to conditions encountered on their hosts are rare. In the case of penguins and their ticks, current understanding suggests that ticks freely parasitize their hosts on land but are incapable of surviving extended oceanic journeys. We examined this conjecture by assessing the physiological capacity of little penguin ticks to endure at-sea foraging and dispersal events of their hosts. Survival in penguins ticks was not significantly compromised by exposure to depths commonly associated with host dives (40 and 60 m), repeated seawater exposure relevant to the most common (30 s) and longest (120 s) recorded host dives, or extended (48 h) exposure to seawater. Mean (5SD) closed-phase durations in adult and nymphal ticks exhibiting discontinuous gas exchange (339 5 237 and 240 5 295 s, respectively) exceeded that of the maximum recorded host dive duration (120 s). Normoxic-anoxicnormoxic respirometry also confirmed spiracle closure. Mean metabolic rates (0:354 5 0:220 and 4:853 5 4:930 mL/h at 257C for unfed and fed adult females, respectively) were significantly influenced by temperature; optimal and LT 50 temperatures for adult ticks and fed nymphal ticks were typically higher than swimming penguin body temperatures. These findings suggest that marine host dispersal is unlikely to present an insurmountable barrier to long-distance tick dispersal. Such dispersal has important implications for evolutionary theory, conservation, and epidemiology.

show abstract

Section: Ticks On the Body Surfacementioning

confidence: 47%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can a Terrestrial Ectoparasite Disperse with Its Marine Host?

Moon

Aitkenhead

Fraser

et al. 2019

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…sculptum ticks, which prefer drained soils in open areas with shrubs and riparian forests [ 98 ]. In the laboratory, engorged females from Amblyomma auricularium were resistant to water stress when placed under immersion in distilled water for up to 96 hours [ 99 ]. However, the reduced progeny and the delayed oviposition time were attributed to diapause.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amblyomma mixtum free-living stages: Inferences on dry and wet seasons use, preference, and niche width in an agroecosystem (Yopal, Casanare, Colombia)

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The formulation of effective control strategies for any pest species generally involves the study of habitat use and preference and niche width in anthropogenically transformed natural landscapes. We evaluated whether the use, habitat preference, and niche range of the Amblyomma mixtum tick changed between stages, habitats, and seasonality (dry-wet seasons 2019) on a farm in Yopal (Casanare, Colombia). The presence and relative abundance of free-living larvae, nymphs, and adults was quantified in four different habitats according to the type of vegetation cover (Riparian Forest, Cocoa Crop, King Grass Crop, and Star Grass Paddock). Habitat availability was estimated, environmental variables were analyzed, and various indices of habitat use and preference, and niche width were calculated. A. mixtum’s habitat use and preference, and niche width changed between stages, habitat types, and time of the year. The total abundance of A. mixtum was an order of magnitude greater in the dry season than the wet season. In the dry season, all stages used all habitats, while A. mixtum adults used all the habitats in both seasons. In the dry season, nymphs and larvae preferred three out of the four habitats, while adults preferred the King Grass Crop. In the wet season, nymphs and larvae preferred two habitats, whereas the adults preferred the King Grass Crop. The value of the niche width index was high for larvae, nymphs, and adults in the dry season, while it was high only for adults in the wet season. Thus, A. mixtum’s vast environmental tolerance and niche breadth allows the species to use and colonize changing habitats (unstable or temporary) with fluctuating environmental conditions (e.g., King Grass Crop), potentially keeping a stable population over time and making it an extremely resistant species. However, the wet flooding season in Yopal may exceed A. mixtum’s stages’ tolerances.

show abstract

“…This would be possible if the diapause capability of A. mixtum is activated at times of the year when their survival is threatened. In laboratory [96] found that engorged females from A. auricularium are resistant to water stress, when placed under immersion in distilled water for up to 96 hours, but the reduced progeny and the delayed oviposition time were attributed to diapause.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amblyomma mixtumfree-living stages: Summer and winter use, preference, and niche width in an agroecosystem (Yopal, Casanare, Colombia)

Forero-Becerra

Acosta

Ortiz

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Studying a species’ tolerance to an ecosystem’s environmental conditions and its selection of available resources is relevant in ecological and evolutionary terms. Moreover, formulation of effective control strategies implicitly includes the study of habitat use and preference and niche width in anthropogenically transformed natural landscapes. Here, we evaluated whether the use, habitat preference, and niche range of the Amblyomma mixtum tick changed between stages, habitats, and seasons (summer-winter 2019) on a farm in Yopal (Casanare, Colombia). To this end, the presence and relative abundance of larvae, nymphs, and free-living adults was quantified in four different habitats according to the type of vegetation cover (Riparian Forest, Cocoa Crop, King Grass Crop, and Star Grass Paddock). Habitat availability was calculated, environmental variables were analyzed, and various indices of habitat use and preference and niche width were calculated. A. mixtum’s habitat use and preference and niche width changed between stages, habitat types, and time of the year. The total abundance of A. mixtum was an order of magnitude greater in summer than winter. Nymphs and larvae dominated it in the summer and adults in the winter. In summer, all the stages used the four habitats. In winter, the larvae did not use two habitats (Riparian Forest and Cocoa Crop); nymphs did not use the cocoa crop. A. mixtum adults used all the habitats in both seasons. In summer, the nymphs and larvae preferred three of the four habitats (King Grass Crop, Star Grass Paddock, and Cocoa Crops), while adults preferred the King Grass Crop. In winter, the nymphs and larvae preferred the King Grass Crop and Star Grass Paddock, while the adults preferred the King Grass Crop. The value of the niche width index was high for larvae, nymphs, and adults in summer, while it was high only for adults in winter. A. mixtum is exposed to significant daily, seasonal, and multiannual variations in relative humidity (minimum 30%), ambient temperature (minimum 18°C), solar radiation (maximum 800 W/m2), and precipitation (maximum 481 mm/month). Thus, the local A. mixtum population could rapidly acclimatize to changing habitats (unstable or temporary) under fluctuating environmental conditions (e.g., King Grass Crop). However, the winter flood season in Yopal could exceed A. mixtum’s adaptive capacity during its most vulnerable stages. Mathematically, a low number of female A. mixtum, surviving the most demanding environmental conditions, could sufficiently ensure the population’s persistence, which, coupled with the vast host range, could facilitate the ticks stages’ dispersal among habitats to complete their life cycle. A. mixtum’s population control should be carried out during its season of greater vulnerability (winter), when the population is low, particularly the females.

show abstract

Amblyomma auricularium (Acari: Ixodidae): underwater survival of the non-parasitic phase of feeding females

Cited by 10 publications

References 24 publications

Can a Terrestrial Ectoparasite Disperse with Its Marine Host?

Can a Terrestrial Ectoparasite Disperse with Its Marine Host?

Amblyomma mixtum free-living stages: Inferences on dry and wet seasons use, preference, and niche width in an agroecosystem (Yopal, Casanare, Colombia)

Amblyomma mixtumfree-living stages: Summer and winter use, preference, and niche width in an agroecosystem (Yopal, Casanare, Colombia)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About