Biological parameters of cattle ticks fed on rabbits

Abstract

With the objective of encouraging the use of rabbits as alternative hosts for the cattle tick, four rabbits were infested on the ears and back. From the second day of infestation the developmental stages were observed. The duration of larval engorgement and changes were estimated between six and eight days in the region of the back and between five and seven days in the pinna. The nymphal engorgement and changes occurred at approximately 10.80 ± 2.65 days in the dorsal and 11.00 ± 2.52 days in the ear, with the engorgement of adults and copulation occurring at 7.03 ± 2.45 days, on the dorsal region and 8.55 ± 1.82 days in the region of the pinna. The parasitic period ranged from 21 to 29 days (back) and from 23 to 30 days (pinna). The engorged females of the back and ear weighed on average 34.43 ± 18.73 and 36.30 ± 18.10 mg, respectively. The nutritional and reproductive efficiency indexes were 17.38 ± 14.27 and 26.85 ± 17.13% (back) and 17.42 ± 12.22% and 30.70 ± 19.80% (pinna). Although not appropriate to maintain successive generations of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, rabbits can be used for different stages of engorgement of the ixodid, allowing experimental studies.Keywords: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, alternate host, biological parameters. ResumoCom objetivo de viabilizar o uso de coelhos como hospedeiros alternativos do carrapato bovino, foram infestados quatro coelhos nas orelhas e no dorso. A partir do segundo dia da infestação, foram observados os estágios de desenvolvimento dos carrapatos. A duração do ingurgitamento e muda larval foi estimada entre seis e oito dias na região do dorso e entre cinco e sete dias no pavilhão auricular. O ingurgitamento e muda ninfal ocorreram em aproximadamente, 10,80 ± 2,65 dias na região dorsal e 11,00 ± 2,52 dias no pavilhão auricular; e o ingurgitamento e cópula dos adultos ocorreu em 7,03 ± 2,45 dias, na região do dorso e em 8,55 ± 1,82 dias na região do pavilhão auricular . O período parasitário variou de 21 a 29 dias (dorso) e de 23 a 30 dias (pavilhão auricular). As fêmeas ingurgitadas do dorso e orelha pesaram, em média, 34,43 ± 18,73 e 36,30 ± 18,10 mg, respectivamente. Os índices de eficiência reprodutiva e nutricional foram de 17,38 ± 14,27 e 26,85 ± 17,13% (região do dorso) e de 17,42 ± 12,22% e 30,70 ± 19,80% (pavilhão auricular). Embora não sejam adequados para manter sucessivas gerações de Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, os coelhos podem ser empregados para o ingurgitamento dos diferentes estádios deste ixodídeo, viabilizando estudos experimentais.Palavras-chave: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, hospedeiro alternativo, parâmetros biológicos.

Experimental aspects of life cycles of two hard tick species, <em>Rhipicephalus (Boophilus)</em> and <em>Hyalomma isaaci</em> (Acari: Ixodidae), on New Zealand white rabbits

“…The egg incubation period of R. microplus was 22 -31 days. This is consistent with the findings of Amaral et al (2012;19 -26 days). However, Joydhar et al, in 2010 have reported shorter incubation periods of 9 -18 days.…”

“…Pre-oviposition and oviposition periods for R. microplus were 5.5 ± 0.8 days and 8.0 ± 2.4 days, respectively. Similar results have been reported in other studies of Joydhar et al (2010), who reported 5.5 ± 0.1 days and 6.0 ± 0.1days and Amaral et al (2012) recorded 3.85 ± 1.80 days and 5.55 ± 1.8 days while Benitez et al (2012) recorded 3 ± 0 days and 6.7 ± 1.4 days of pre-oviposition and oviposition periods, respectively. Although Gallardo and Morales (1999) reported a similar pre-oviposition period of 4.74 days for R. microplus and their oviposition period is as long as 23.49 days.…”

“…Even the feeding of larvae of R. microplus was also not very successful because the recovery rate of nymphs was about one-tenth. A study done by Amaral et al (2012) shows that the rabbits are not suitable to continue a life cycle but only suitable to raise stages of R. microplus because of the low recovery rate in each stage. However, higher recovery rates of R. microplus nymphs, as well as adults feeding rabbits, have been reported elsewhere (Nirjhar et al, 2000: Joydhar et al, 2010.…”

Biological Parameters of <i>Rhipicephalus</i> (<i>Boophilus</i>) <i>microplus</i> (Acari: Ixodidae) Fed on Rabbits, Sheep, and Cattle

“…It is considered that R. microplus has high specificity for cattle and is only found on other animals that usually appear with infested cattle, such as goats, sheep, camels, horses, donkeys, pigs, dogs, and some of wildlife deer and rodents [ 15 , 16 , 21 ]. Biological parameters of R. microplus fed on goats, horses, and rabbits were also analyzed in some literatures [ 22 - 25 ]. However, few of them compared the biological parameters of R. microplus fed on different hosts at the same conditions, which is important for evaluating the suitability of them as experimental animals in the research of R. microplus control techniques.…”

“…Do Amaral et al [ 22 ] infested 4 rabbits with R. microplus in/on the ear and back. The recovery of engorged female ticks from backs was 4.9%, similar to that of our study (5.5%), but it was 10.7% from ears, similar to that of cattle in the present study (11.0%), which suggests that tick recovery is significantly associated with the infestation region on the host.…”