Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T21:35:30.275Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Development periods of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus neumann (Acarina: Ixodidae) under field conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

D. K. Punyua
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
Get access

Abstract

Batches of engorged Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks (females, nymphs and larvae) were placed in gauze-covered vials in the field at monthly intervals and left to complete development. The ticks were placed in open areas and tree shaded areas; the latter being consistently cooler.

The duration of development varied seasonally and was inversely related to environmental temperature. The mean time to oviposition ranged from 5 days during the hot dry season to 25 days during the cool dry season. There was a high larval mortality during the larval to nymphal moult. However, the available data shows that the mean time to larval–nymphal moult ranged from less than 2 weeks during the hot dry season to 7 weeks in the cool season. The mean time to nymphal–adult moult ranged from less than 3 weeks in the hot season to over 13 weeks in the cool dry season. Egg hatching ranged between 3 weeks in the hot dry season and 15 weeks in the cool dry season.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Arthur, D. R. (1951) The bionomics of Ixodes hexagonus Leach, in Britain. Parasitology 41, 8290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Branagan, D. (1973) The development periods of the ixodid tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neum., under laboratory conditions. Bull. ent. Res. 63, 155168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCulloch, B., Kalaye, W. J., Tungaraza, R., Suda, B'Q. J. and Mbasha, E. M. S. (1968) A study of the life history of the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus—the main vector of East Coast fever—with reference to its behaviour under field conditions and with regard to its control in Sukumaland, Tanzania. Bull. epizoot. Dis. Afr. 16, 477500.Google ScholarPubMed
Newson, R. M. (1976) The life cycle of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus on the Kenyan Coast. Proceedings of the International Conference on Tick-borne Diseases and their Vectors. Edinburgh, Sept.—Oct. 1976. pp. 4650.Google Scholar
Semtner, P. J., Sauer, J. R. and Hair, J. A. (1973) The ecology and behaviour of the lone-star tick (Acarina: Ixodidae). III. The effect of season on moulting time and post-moult behaviour of engorged nymphs and adults. J. med. Ent. 10, 202205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, S. G. (1946) Seasonal occurrence of Ixodidae on cattle in Northern Province, Nyasaland. Parasitology 37, 118125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yeoman, H. G. (1966) Field vector studies of epizootic East Coast fever. II. Seasonal studies of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus on bovine and non-bovine hosts in East Coast fever enzootic, epizootic and free zones. Bull. epizoot. Dis. Afr. 14, 113140.Google Scholar