Population structure of <i>Argas arboreus<i/> (Acari : Argasidae) ticks associated with seasonally abandoned mixed heronries, dominated by cattle egrets (<i>Bubulcus ibis<i/>), in South Africa

Abstract

During winter populations of Argas arboreus from heronries of the cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis, in South Africa are composed of adults, with some predominance of males, and II-IV instar nymphs, in a state of diapause. The period of tick activity, including reproduction and development of eggs, larvae and N1 nymphs, is synchronized with the nesting and breeding season of their avian hosts. It begins during spring with the return of birds to the heronry, and ceases in autumn through induction of reproductive diapause in engorged females, and behavioural diapause in unfed nymphs and adult ticks. Many ticks showed morphological anomalies and malformations, the study of which could possibly be used for monitoring of environmental pollution.

Descriptive DNA barcoding of Argas (Persicargas) arboreus and Argas (Persicargas) persicus ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae) infesting birds in Egypt

“…This species is known to infest herons and other medium-wading birds in many African areas (Khalil et al 1980). Belozerov et al (2003) studied the relationship between A. arboreus and heron life cycles. They found a seasonal synchronization between tick development and reproduction with the nesting and breeding periods of the birds during the spring and summer season in Egypt.…”

A seven-legged tick – anomalous <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> female (Acari: Ixodidae) from Poland

“…Since the first three cases of morphological anomalies in ticks were described by Neumann in 1899 [1], there have been numerous subsequent reports of teratological ticks [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. The abnormalities are found both in Argasid (genera: Argas and Ornithodoros) and much more frequently in Ixodid ticks, including genera: Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ixodes, Rhipicephalus, [9][10][11][12][13]. Morphological anomalies, which can appear at every developmental stage [14], are considered a rare phenomenon in natural tick populations [11] and noted in less than 2% of ticks [14][15][16][17][18].…”