Biology of Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas, 1772) (Acari: Ixodidae) on some laboratory hosts in Brazil

Abstract

According to Aragão and Fonseca (1961), Amblyomma aureolatum was first described by Pallas (1772) in a study carried out in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Years later, Koch (1844) described the same species of tick as A. striatum. The description given by Pallas was subsequently disregarded, Koch's description prevailing up to 1961 when Aragão and Fonseca (1961) concluded that both descriptions referred to the same species. Since then, the terminology proposed by Pallas has been adopted, as it preceeded Koch's description by more than 70 years. Aragão (1911Aragão ( , 1936) also made basic considerations regarding the morphology and the geographical distribution of A. aureolatum. Fonseca (1935) evaluated the viability and the biological cycle of A. aureolatum ticks under natural conditions in Brazil.Adult stages of A. aureolatum have been frequently found on domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) (Fonseca 1935, Evans et al. 2000. Rohr (1909), Aragão (1936), andFonseca (1961) According to recent reports (Fonseca et al. 1996, Nowak 1999, the specific name azarae had already been used to refer to two different species of canidae in Brazil: Lycalopex vetulus and Cerdocyon thous. F. wiedi wiedi, known in Brazil as "maracajá" cat, is nowadays considered to be Leopardus wiedii; foxes are known as C. thous; the genus Dusicyon is nowadays known in Brazil as Cerdocyon; ferrets are Galictis cuja and G. vittata; F. (Puma) concolor is Puma concolor; E. spinosus catellus is cited as E. spinosus; the species N. socialis corresponds to N. nasua, while C. paludosus corresponds to Blastocerus dichotomus. The genus Cervus has not been used in Brazil (Fonseca et al. 1996, Nowak 1999.The occurrence of A. aureolatum ticks has been reported in all geographical regions of Brazil and in Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia and French Guyana (Aragão 1936, Aragão & Fonseca 1961, Evans et al. 2000.A. aureolatum ticks are frequently found infesting dogs in rural areas in Brazil. Considering its ability to infest human beings and wild animals and its capacity to transmit rickettsias (Aragão 1936), A. aureolatum ticks may play an important role in the transmission of rickettsial infections, such as the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Brazil. The objective of the present study was to evaluate some bionomic aspects of different stages of A. aureolatum ticks. MATERIALS AND METHODSA survey was carried out in rural areas of the State of Minas Gerais and the dogs living in those areas were examined for the presence of ectoparasites. Every specimen found was manually collected from its host, placed into labelled flasks, and taken to the laboratory for identification. In order to obtain naturally detached engorged female ticks, a dog, from São Sebastião das Águas Claras, naturally infested with two females and three males of A. Aureolatum, was kept in a cage. The cage was isolated using a double-faced adhesive tape. The dog was infested with 6 other adult stages of A. aureolatum (3 males and 3 females) that had been collected from dogs living in the sam...

Study of the Seasonal Dynamics, Life Cycle, and Host Specificity ofAmblyomma aureolatum(Acari: Ixodidae)

“…(1) We collected ticks at 30-d intervals. Because the mean feeding period of A. aureolatum females is Ϸ10 d (Fonseca 1935, Rodrigues et al 2002), theoretically we removed only Ϸ33% of the female ticks infesting dogs during the study period. (2) In addition to the dogs included in this study, several other dogs were present in the area, on the same or on adjacent farms.…”

“…Fonseca (1935) successfully reared one generation of A. aureolatum in the laboratory and observed the free-living developmental stages at room temperature (no details on the RH were given), using dogs, rabbits, and R. norvegicus to feed larvae and dogs to feed adult ticks (host species used to feed nymphs was not mentioned); however, the recovery rates of engorged ticks from the different host species were not mentioned. Rodrigues et al (2002) also reared one generation of A. aureolatum in the laboratory, using dogs, chickens, guinea pigs, and rabbits to feed the ticks, but the recovery rates of engorged immature ticks from the host species were not evaluated. These authors maintained tick free-living developmental periods under 27ЊC and RH around 70%.…”

“…Although some aspects of the life cycle of A. aureolatum were reported by Fonseca (1935) and Rodrigues et al (2002), there are still some gaps concerning the developmental periods of this tick under controlled conditions. According to Rodrigues et al (2002), A. aureolatum seems to be a very fastidious tick in the laboratory, possibly requiring speciÞc temperature and moisture conditions during free-living developmental periods.…”

“…The literature suggests that carnivorous mammals, especially dogs (Canis familiaris L.) and the crabeating fox (Cerdocyon thous L.), are the main primary hosts for the adult stage of A. aureolatum (Guimarães 1945, Aragão and Fonseca 1961b, Ribeiro et al 1997, Evans et al 2000, Rodrigues et al 2002, Guglielmone et al 2003. Conversely, the few available reports for A. aureolatum immature stages were on small rodents, several passerine birds, a crabeating fox, and a sloth (Bradypus sp.)…”

“…According to Rodrigues et al (2002), A. aureolatum seems to be a very fastidious tick in the laboratory, possibly requiring speciÞc temperature and moisture conditions during free-living developmental periods.…”